Sehnsucht
by OpalescentGold
Summary: In an unidentifiable location of Japan, a woman named Cynthia, the founder of the Cervello and the former Vongola Adviser, dies. Some few hundred years later, in a location of Japan now known as Namimori, a baby named Noriko is born.
1. Moon

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Moon**

 _This is how the Moon came to be._

(Re) **Birth**

In an unidentifiable location of Japan, a woman named Cynthia, the founder of the Cervello and the former Vongola Adviser, dies years after her Sky with a peaceful smile on her lips, long lavender pink hair splayed across the cold ground and eyes as pale as the full moon fading to the pull of oblivion.

Some few hundred years later, in a location of Japan now known as Namimori, a baby named Noriko is born, a red-faced, squalling child with a head of platinum blonde hair and blue-grey eyes firmly squeezed shut as she screams her hurt displeasure to the unfamiliar world that lies before her.

 **Adjustment**

The girl people call Reiki Noriko wanders this new life in a daze. The first six months are a whirlwind of new sensations and new perceptions, few of which are familiar and comforting. She cries and cries for the longest time, yearning for a home that doesn't exist anymore.

 **Mother**

Noriko generally comes to recognize the smiling, gentle woman with long black hair and warm blue eyes as her mother. It is strange, but she eventually comes to care for Reiki Kiku. It is hard not to, for this is the one who feeds her and clothes her, sings lullabies to her at night and laughs with her during the day.

 **Father**

It takes Noriko some time to recognize her father as the stoic-looking man with tired lines on his face who comes home late every night. He has dark eyes and pale hair, but his smile is kind. She only figures it out when Kiku beams and kisses Reiki Yoshio on the cheek, showing him to the dinner table laden with plates and dishes.

 **Daytime**

In the daytime, Noriko is alright. She claps her hands and learns to crawl and follows her mother around like a baby chick. She can focus on the not-familiar things around her, even though she feels oddly off-balance and uncertain.

 **Nighttime**

In the nighttime, Noriko dreams. She sees a man - _safe, reassuring, **home**_ \- with a flame on his forehead and an outstretched hand, orange eyes soft and warm. She reaches forward desperately - and wakes up in confused tears.

* * *

 **Kiku**

 _This is what she does._

 **Love**

Kiku loves her daughter. Even when Noriko wakes up every night crying and takes hours to calm down, Kiku loves her. Even when Noriko looks around Kiku like she is searching for someone else, Kiku loves her. Even when Noriko sometimes gazes at the window as if she will run away, Kiku loves her.

It is a mother's love and it will never be extinguished.

 **Child**

Most of the time, Noriko acts like a regular child. She throws tantrums and plays with her toys. She chews on her pacifier when teething starts, wobbles and lurches when it is time at last for her to learn how to walk. She laughs and screams and grins.

 **Adult**

But sometimes, Noriko is silent for far too long, staring into the distance with a troubled frown that belongs on no toddler's face. There is a weight to her quiet, a sadness to her tears that bothers Kiku, yet there is nothing she can possibly do.

 **Husband**

Yoshio is a busy man. They are no wealthy family. He must work hard to keep them fed and she knows that. Still, it hurts when he can barely spare fifteen words for her when he comes home at nine o'clock at night. Kiku is fairly certain that their child misses her father.

 **Family**

Kiku is the one who keeps the family tied together. She takes care of her baby and her husband both, cleans the household and provides the warmth. She knows it all too well and dreads the day she can no longer hold together under the strain.

* * *

 **Yoshio**

 _This is how he endures._

 **Money**

Yoshio loves his family. He does. It is why he wakes up at six in the morning everyday and arrives at his low-paying job with perfect punctuality. It is why he goes home at nine in the evening everyday without fail and almost immediately collapses in bed.

It is the money he makes that keeps his small family afloat.

 **Wife**

Yoshio adores Kiku. He first met her during middle school as a classmate. It didn't take them long to become close friends after a school project. They became lovers in high school and then married after graduation. He knows his absence burdens her and thinks himself unworthy of her.

Still, he cannot help but be selfish and wish that they will one day be buried next to each other.

 **Baby**

Noriko is a mystery to Yoshio. He loves her as one might love a painting, with wild fervor and complete ignorance. She befuddles him, but she is his baby girl, she is his lovely daughter. He treasures that one time he went home early and swung her up in the air, the surprised chime of her laughter a new and wonderful joy.

 **Word**

"Tou-chan!" Noriko blurts out mere days after she addresses Kiku as "Kaa-chan," and Yoshio grins widely and twirls her around in circles, happily drifting through the rest of the day on cloud nine.

He is blissfully ignorant to the fact that the babbling she spewed out in the first few months were actually an attempt at a name. What could 'Giii' mean, after all?

 **Tired**

Yoshio comes home every night exhausted to his bones, for menial labor is no easy task though the money is comparatively negligible, but he has Kiku's smile and Noriko's laugh to look forward to, so he always does.

* * *

 **School**

On the third day of primary school, Noriko looks up from the boring sandbox and spots a timid-looking boy with fluffy brown hair and orange-brown eyes.

And suddenly, she _remembers._


	2. Sky

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Memory**

 _This is what she recalls._

 **Sky**

She remembers the Sky, with his infinite compassion and acceptance, orange flame flaring high on his brow and eyes looking to the future, the one and only leader she has ever consented to following. _Giotto._

 **Storm**

She remembers the Storm, explosive and devoted, the best Right-Hand Man to the very end. A volatile bomb, bow and arrow ever raised in defense as offence, red eyes and pink - _magenta, MAGENTA! -_ hair. _G._

 **Rain**

She remembers the Rain, ever easy-going and relaxed, a calm ocean with deeper depths than anyone could have imagined. A spectacular musician, an incredible swordsman, a loyalty that was unshakable. _Ugetsu._

 **Sun**

She remembers the Sun, a passionate priest, a burning strength always looking to heal, never to kill, but willing to rise to the surface for his family should it come to that. An undefeated boxer in the service of God. _Knuckle._

 **Lightning**

She remembers the Lightning, sheltered, pampered, cowardly, yet unable to deny the requests of his boss whenever the time came to be serious. A steadfast shield for those he loved, regardless of his fear. _Lampo._

 **Cloud**

She remembers the Cloud, aloof and cold, powerful and violent, unrestrained and untouchable. Perpetually going his own way, doing whatever he wanted whenever he wanted, a pillar of strength that never wavered. _Alaude._

 **Mist**

She remembers the Mist, deceptive and indulgent in the beginning, deceptive and desperate in the end. Heartbroken and angry at the Earth, at the Sky, at Vongola, he broke the family, so confused, so lost. _Daemon._

 **Family**

Noriko realizes what it is that she has been _missing_.

* * *

 **Sky**

 _This is how she finds the Sky._

 **Play**

Noriko is moving before she realizes it, kneeling in front of the brunet with wide, startled eyes. "Giotto?" she whispers, hope a trembling, fragile glass inside of her small, frantic heart. _Does he remember? Is this my Sky?_

The little boy blinks, frowns, and her heart drops. She knows the answer even before he says, "I'm sorry, but no...? I'm Sawada Tsunayoshi." There is no malice in her voice, but the glass shatters nonetheless, cuts until she bleeds.

Noriko doesn't reply, cannot reply, but perhaps some of the hurt shows on her face, maybe it is the Hyper Intuition - because this boy cannot _not_ be a descendant of the Primo - because the child looks concerned. "Are you okay?"

"I'm okay," she says shakily to her classmate and bites her bottom lip in an effort to hold the tears in. This is not Giotto, not her Sky, and it hurts because she will never have her leader again, not truly _hers_.

But Noriko can work with this. She has to, because Tsunayoshi reminds her so much of Giotto that it is like seeing a ghost, warm and real and alive. "My name is Reiki Noriko," she says instead. "Wanna play?"

Tsunayoshi's face lights up, the smile that his lips curl up into radiant, and for a second, it doesn't hurt so much. "Hai!"

 **Smile**

"Nori-chan, did you have fun at school?" Kiku asks her that afternoon when she comes to pick up Noriko from school. The woman herself has a pleased look in her eyes, the faintest of smiles on her lips.

Noriko peers at her mother through her eyelashes, turning to wave to Tsunayoshi as she leaves and is gratified to receive a shy wave back. "Hmm...hai, Kaa-chan! Why?"

"You're smiling," Kiku points out. And, she thinks but does not say, this is the first time she has ever seen such a bright, delightful smile on her daughter's face.

Noriko blinks and realizes that she is, indeed, smiling, so widely that her cheeks hurt. She doesn't care though. Even if he doesn't remember -

He has always been her friend.

 **Change**

From that day on, it is as if Noriko has achieved enlightenment or had an epiphany. Her personality takes a completely unexpected one-eighty flip. While never quite depressed, she has always been unnaturally quiet and moody for her age.

Now, it is not so. She smiles and laughs easily, happily. She skips around, humming or singing to herself under her breath. Frequently, she flies around on socked feet and gives out surprise hugs or kisses to unsuspecting victims.

Her parents would have been worried, but there is a serene content beneath her abrupt joy, a balance that she has been missing since birth.

Kiku and Yoshio are bemused, but they accept their daughter's sudden change and welcome the small boy's presence in her life without question. If this Tsunayoshi can make their Noriko this happy, then he can certainly stay.

 **Names**

"Tsunayoshi-kun - " she starts two days after they meet.

"C-Call me Tsuna, Noriko-san!" he insists.

"Then call me Nori. Just Nori," she retorts.

He stutters, "N-Noriko-san! I can't do that!"

"Then Tsunayoshi-kun." She smiles and twirls around in circles.

He droops adorably. She doesn't resist the urge to hug him tightly, ignoring how red his face gets.

It takes Tsunayoshi five days to crack. The first time he calls her by her given name - albeit with -chan added - Noriko laughs, wild and bright, and hugs him again.

This time, his face goes as red as G.'s hair.

 **Different**

Tsuna isn't Giotto, even though she holds no doubts that he is at least a close descendant. Tsuna is shy and nervous, while Giotto was charismatic and confident. Tsuna is clumsy and fearful, while Giotto was bold and daring.

They are not one and the same.

 **Same**

But Tsuna is still a Sky. He is still compassionate and kind, forgiving and accepting. He holds the same warmth in his brown eyes that Giotto held in his orange eyes. When he laughs, it is almost as if she is back by Giotto's side again.

Noriko is happy.


	3. Rain

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Tsuna**

 _This is how light brightens the night sky._

 **Hurt**

When the girl with the pretty pale hair approaches Tsuna for the first time, she asks him if he is someone he is not. Tsuna denies it, but immediately feels guilty later when he knows she is hurting even though no pain shows visibly.

 **Friendship**

Noriko is Tsuna's first and only friend. He thinks she is weird and a little crazy, because she's _fearless,_ not even shying away from the really scary chihuahua that growls at them one day.

Still, he wouldn't trade her for the world, because she is warm and sweet, with hugs that smell of cool moonlight and laughter like silver chimes.

 **Bullies**

Tsuna is bullied. It doesn't surprise him because he knows he is clumsy and weak, not really good at his homework or sports. The older kids like teasing him, but Tsuna just ducks his head and hurries away whenever he can.

But Noriko looks _furious_ the first time she finds Tsuna cornered by three of the meanies in first grade. Her eyes flash and she stomps forward, pushing past them so she stands in front of Tsuna, back ramrod straight.

Tsuna worries because he does not want Noriko hurt, even as his chest grows warm because he's never had anyone stand up for him. She just puts her hands on her hips and stares down the older kids even though she's smaller.

"What do you think you're doing?" she demands and her normally bright voice is hard like diamond.

"Hah, another shorty?" Eiji, a big fourth grader, says, smiling in a way that makes Tsuna shift uneasily. It's a very not-nice smile. "Go away, won't ya? We haven't got our lunch money yet."

Noriko merely sniffs and raises an eyebrow. "No," she says simply and grabs Tsuna's hand. Before anyone can move, she trips Eiji - _how did she do that!? -_ and bolts, dragging Tsuna along with her as she breaks into a run.

"Hiiiieeee!" he shrieks, almost falling over his own feet before catching up to her rhythm. The tell-tale sounds of boots against tiles makes him look back and shriek even louder. "Nori-chan, they're following us!"

His crazy friend only laughs and speeds up.

Tsuna doesn't have bully problems after that though.

 **Tutor**

Noriko is really smart. The day Tsuna gets a bad, bad grade on his test - like, _how-am-I-going-to-tell-Mom-about this?!-sorta grade -_ she blinks and smiles and pulls out her notes.

Then, she drills Tsuna on the material until he gets a better score on the next test.

 **Incident**

There's that one time Noriko convinces Tsuna to climb into his neighbor's yard and pick her pomegranates. Tsuna goes along with it hesitantly, but Noriko is very persuasive.

They get chased out with stones and sticks raining down upon their heads.

Noriko, the insane girl, laughs the entire time.

That is officially the day that Tsuna decides his friend's ideas should not be followed.

He still ends up being dragged along on most of her adventures anyway.

Like that time with the snake...

* * *

 **Rain**

 _This is how she learns about the Rain._

 **Third**

Noriko doesn't meet him until third grade. It is the first day of school - _she is growing annoyed of going through these simple concepts, but Tsuna needs this so she endures it -_ and she is bored.

She glances around the room, absently braiding her growing hair, and goes very, very still when she spots the laughing boy in the corner with black hair and brown eyes and a calm friendliness she has missed.

Oh. _Oh_. Noriko looks at the Sky, then the Rain. If Ugetsu's descendant is here too...does that mean everyone else is as well?

 **Introductions**

Noriko wastes no time in dragging Tsuna over to the boy's desk the second class ends. Tsuna, used to her antics, lets her, but furrows his brow in confusion. The boy looks up when they approach and smiles, unfazed by her actions.

Some part of Noriko, the part who was Cynthia, almost breaks down crying at the familiarity in that dear smile.

"Hey!" he says cheerfully. "We haven't met yet, huh? I'm Yamamoto Takeshi."

She laughs, nearly bewildered by how _easy_ this is. "Hi! I'm Reiki Noriko and this is Sawada Tsunayoshi. You can just call him Tsuna. Oh, and call me Nori."

"I-It's nice to meet you," Tsuna stutters out, bowing politely.

Takeshi only grins warmly and bows back. "Nice to meet you, too!"

Noriko stands off to the side and smiles fondly, thoughts on times bygone.

 **Baseball**

Noriko laughs and laughs when she learns Takeshi is _obsessed_ with baseball. Perhaps she should start looking into genetic research? She's half-tempted to throw a flute at him and see how he reacts.

She refrains because Tsuna is already eyeballing her like he's contemplating whether or not he needs to send her to a therapist.

 **Mountain**

Noriko has always been somewhat reckless and sporadic since she has been reunited with Tsuna. It is partly because she wants Tsuna to be familiar with the unexpected and partly because it is in her nature to be ever changing.

Ever changing, but always _there_.

However, Takeshi is almost always on board with practically anything she suggests so long as it sounds fun.

Between Noriko's urging and Takeshi's enthusiasm, Tsuna doesn't stand a chance. They get lost within five minutes and only get back to Namimori at sunset.

 **Katana**

Noriko stares at Takeshi. "So your family's sword style - "

"Shigure Soen Style," he supplies.

"Right. That." She pauses, quirks a smile. "It was passed down from your ancestor."

"Yeah! I don't remember his name...Asa something."

Takeshi seems somewhat concerned when Noriko falls on the floor laughing hysterically.


	4. Takeshi

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Takeshi**

 _This is how water reflects moonlight._

 **Instincts**

Takeshi is very much an instinctive person. It's what makes him so good at baseball.

So, when a girl with white blonde hair approaches him after class, lugging a boy with fluffy brown hair after her, he grins and introduces himself brightly. His instincts whisper _safety_ and _acceptance_ and _home_.

They don't let him down.

 **Never**

"I'll never give up baseball!" Takeshi proclaims one day after practice, dropping down into a chair in the library. He catches the towel Noriko throws at him and drinks from the water bottle Tsuna offers him, smile only growing wider.

"Never?" There is a funny little half-smile on Noriko's lips. She flips through a textbook, one that she has probably been going over with Tsuna. The boys get mediocre grades, but they're not failing, which Takeshi counts as a win.

"Never!" There can't be anything as worthwhile and exhilarating as baseball, not in the whole wide world. It's what Takeshi is, what Takeshi does. He can't imagine what his life would be without baseball.

"Practice went well then?" Tsuna asks, smiling softly. There is always utter sincerity in Tsuna's voice when he asks, and he asks every time, and it's such a strange difference when compared to the things his teammates say.

Takeshi can't bring himself to question it though. "Yeah! I didn't miss a single ball!" And his team had crowded around him and shouted compliments, saying that he was their "star" and how they were sure to win the next game.

It makes his heart twist for a reason he can't understand. This is a good thing...right? It has to be.

"Well, you know what they say: never say never," Noriko says, still smiling that funny little half-smile. It's like she knows something that he doesn't.

Takeshi doesn't understand that either.

 **Star**

Takeshi wins. Again and again. He wins all the games he's in, so they keep on putting him in more and more games until he's in every last one. He loses track of time until it's just when the next game is and how he should train for it.

In fact, he doesn't even notice how little time he's been spending with Noriko and Tsuna in their fourth year before he accidentally bumps into Tsuna in the school hallways.

"Oh, hey, Tsuna! Sorry, didn't see you there!" Takeshi laughs ruefully, already reaching out to tug him up.

Tsuna smiles weakly and shakes his head. "It's okay, Yamamoto. It was an accident." He pauses, taking in the bag slung over the taller boy's shoulder. "Are you going to practice?"

"Yeah." Takeshi shifts his bag slightly, rubbing the back of his head. "There's a game tomorrow."

Tsuna nods and steps out of his way. "Good luck then, Yamamoto. Just...you know..." he trails off uncertainly, glancing away.

Takeshi frowns thoughtfully. He'd thought that they had gotten over this stage already. "What is it, Tsuna?" he prompts.

Tsuna gives him a long, searching look that makes Takeshi want to squirm, even though he's not quite sure what's wrong. "Y-You know that you're always free to join me and Nori-chan if you have time, right?"

Takeshi goes motionless at the nervous words, mind suddenly kicking into high gear as he goes over the past three months. And he abruptly realizes that he has not spoken to Tsuna in two months and Noriko in three.

What sort of friend is he!?

"I-I mean," Tsuna panics at his silence, waving his hands in front of him frantically, "yo-you don't _ha-have_ to, I just thought that - you know what, never mind, I'm sorry, you should get to your practice before you're late - "

Takeshi grabs Tsuna's arm to prevent him from running off, and Tsuna freezes, staring up at Takeshi with hesitant eyes. Takeshi _hates_ that Tsuna is uncertain of their friendship, but this is his fault and it's up to him to fix it.

"I'll be there," he says. "Today after school, right after practice, okay? Save me a seat, Tsuna."

The brilliant smile he receives makes him feel even guiltier.

 **Fair**

Takeshi keeps his word and shows up at their table in the public library as soon as practice lets up, sprinting to get there. Tsuna beams when he appears, completely out of breath, and pulls out a chair.

Noriko looks at him for an endless, tension-filled second, before smiling and continuing the lesson as if he has never been gone.

However, after the tutoring session is over and Tsuna leaves, she corners him and there is no hint of a smile on her face now, only serene unrelenting focus as she lays down the law.

"You were gone for months, Takeshi-kun," Noriko says first, and he knows she is not nearly as forgiving as Tsuna is.

That's okay. He doesn't deserve that forgiveness, not yet. "I know," Takeshi says. "I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

She contemplates that with a mild frown. "It's not fair," she tells him, "to leave us whenever you wish. If we're just convenient distractions you think you can throw away whenever you get distracted by a new, shinier toy..."

 _"No!"_ he protests immediately and loudly, grimacing when someone shushes him. "No," he repeats, quieter. "That's not true at all. I-I just got caught up." He sighs and runs a hand through his hair. "It won't happen again."

She tilts her head to the side, but to his relief, nods. "See that it doesn't," she commands and launches herself at him. He catches her automatically with an "oomph" and she wraps her arms around him tightly.

"Welcome back~" Noriko sings.


	5. Cloud

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Cloud**

 _This is how she fights with the Cloud._

 **Rules**

Near the end of fourth grade, Noriko is late for class, probably the first time she ever has been. Punctuality is an important trait for meetings and negotiations, after all, and old habits are hard to shake.

"You're late." An older boy with grey eyes and black hair glares darkly at her from his position against the school gates, radiating an impressive aura of danger and menace. "I'm going to bite you to death."

Noriko wastes several precious seconds staring. She supposes, through the shock of recognition, that she should be happy he isn't threatening to arrest her. Then, instinctively, she dodges to the right, a tonfa missing her by a hair.

Of course. Just...of course he knows how to fight, and fight _well_ from the looks of it, at this age.

Her laugh is more startled and delighted than anything else, and he stops his relentless attacks for a moment to cast an inquisitive look at her. Noriko takes the chance to break into a sprint, heading straight towards the double doors.

She isn't at all surprised when the thud of boots behind her tells her he is following.

Noriko laughs the entire way to her classroom, wrenching open the door and all but falling in. She is sitting calmly in her seat when he catches up and stands in the doorway with a scowl, silver tonfas held in both hands.

"Hi-Hibari-san..." her poor teacher stutters, eyes flickering from her student to the furious boy. "Is there something wrong...?"

Oh. Noriko ignores the concerned looks from Tsuna and Takeshi to smile thoughtfully. Hibari Kyoya. She has heard of him, the sixth grader who will brutally beat up anyone breaking the rules, crowding, or just plain annoying him.

She really should have put the pieces together earlier.

Kyoya glowers at Takara-sensei, who looks like she's resisting the urge to shrink away purely because of the watching - and terrified - children. He stalks forward to her desk and brings a tonfa crashing down on the wood.

Hard.

Noriko doesn't flinch even as her poor desk collapses and the students around her shriek. She meets calculating eyes squarely, smiling serenely, if a bit wildly.

"Hn. Don't be late again," Kyoya warns after an endless beat of silence, leaning back as if he has found whatever it was that he was looking for.

Her smile only widens. "Hai, Hibari-san."

 **Animal**

Kyoya has a thing for animal metaphors. Noriko isn't sure what to think of that.

"You crowd like a herbivore," he tells her a week after their amusing - Tsuna looks awfully horrified; clearly he needs more exposure to the strange and violent - encounter. She hasn't been late to school again, but she has swung by the roof once or twice (or three, four, five, etc. times).

Remarkably, he has only attempted to "bite her to death" a few times.

She laughs, sitting against the edge of the roof with her arms wrapped around her bent legs. If she did not have prior knowledge of this loner, she might not have understood all of his statements, but she has always known that he does not enjoy mobs.

Then, there's the herbivore/carnivore thing, but that's something else entirely.

"Am I not a herbivore?" Noriko asks curiously, breaking her streak of silence. Tsuna and Takeshi would probably suspect her of being an imposter if they realized she has been silent for over fifty minutes, but Kyoya doesn't much like idle chatter.

"You run away laughing like a lunatic when I go after you," Kyoya points out dryly, lounging on the rooftop with his hands behind his head and eyes fixed on the sky.

"That's true," she acknowledges with a smile, eyes twinkling. "But I don't think I'm a carnivore, neh?"

"No," he says and goes silent.

Noriko is fairly certain Kyoya doesn't know how to classify her. Her smile dims a fraction despite herself.

Alaude didn't either.

 **Safety**

If Noriko associates Tsuna with _home_ and Takeshi with _peace,_ then she associates Kyoya with _safety._

It is not because Alaude was the Strongest Guardian. It is not because Alaude was the founder of CEDEF.

She was the founder of the Cervello. She was the trusted Adviser of the Vongola Primo.

Cynthia could take care of herself just fine.

Noriko can take care of herself just fine.

But, ironically, for the drifting Cloud, he is the steadiest person she knows. Unwavering, uncompromising, unshakable.

No matter what happens, he is always _there._

Even more ironically, Kyoya is incredibly bloodthirsty and aggressive.

Noriko laughs and runs. Seconds later, a tonfa comes crashing down on the ground where she was standing, creating a lovely new crater. Perhaps she shouldn't have made fun of Kyoya's catchphrase?

 **Strange**

Kyoya's sense of law is a strange thing. He will attack just about anyone, so long as he is irritated in some way, shape, or form.

Noriko's sense of fairness is a strange thing. She will not discriminate, will not succumb to favoritism, regardless of who is involved.

They are both rather merciless.

(They have both broken their own rules.)

"Uyeda Takeo is planning to cheat in today's baseball game," she whispers as she lightly brushes past the older boy to tutor Tsuna.

He says nothing in response before she is gone, but she catches the glint in his dark eyes and knows that it will be taken care of.

 **Scary**

"Nori-chan, how do you deal with it?" Tsuna asks, brow furrowed. "Hi-Hibari-san's so scary..."

There is something so very _wrong_ with hearing her Sky admit to being scared of his Cloud, but Noriko's smile doesn't falter. "Oh, faith," she claims. "Lots and lots of faith." And she has utmost faith in her family.


	6. Sun

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Kyoya**

 _This is how the clouds hide the moon._

 **Attention**

Reiki Noriko first catches Kyoya's attention when she not only avoids his blows but outruns him when she is late that one fateful day. There is strength there, in that firm gaze. There is a conviction he cannot understand.

He lets her go.

 **Ephemeral**

Noriko changes. She changes all the time, from hour to hour, second to second.

She is different when she is with the fluffy herbivore. She is different when she is with the baseball herbivore.

She is different when she is with him.

Yet, the core of her stays the same, tranquil and honorable and ardent.

Kyoya finds it faintly frustrating that no one but him notices.

 **Protective**

The first time Kyoya raises a tonfa against Sawada Tsunayoshi when Reiki Noriko is around, he learns why the trembling, wide-eyed boy in front of him is left alone by the rest of the student body.

His tonfa is redirected by a swift kick and slate blue eyes pin him to the spot as assuredly as if she has wrapped chains around him. The spark of anger on her face is new, interesting.

Kyoya has never been able to goad Noriko into fighting with him properly.

"Don't touch Tsuna," she demands. "Ever."

The look of bewildered hurt in her eyes is strange, unwarranted.

He frowns and says, "Why?"

At that, she flinches as if he has struck her. She looks at him as if she is seeing him for the first time, as if he is suddenly a stranger though it has been weeks since they have met.

Kyoya's hands clench on the cold steel of his tonfas.

"It wouldn't be right," Noriko says at last, lost and sad, a wanderer in an unfamiliar world.

 **Classification**

She cannot be a herbivore, even if she crowds like one.

(She is too strong for that, though she refuses to fight him.)

She cannot be an omnivore, even if she acts like one.

(She is too crazy for that, though she is just as intelligent.)

She cannot be a carnivore, even if she fights like one.

(She is too pacifistic for that, though she is feral, too.)

Kyoya is convinced that Noriko exists solely to frustrate him.

 **Skylark**

"Your name means skylark, right?" she asks one day, completely out of the blue.

He glances sideways at her, one eyebrow raised. "Hai."

A funny half-smile quirks her lips. "Do you know what skylark is in French?"

He scoffs, inwardly questioning how he's ended up saddled with such an odd girl. Ah yes, because she won't go away and is somewhat entertaining. "Do you think I care, Reiki?"

She laughs and goes quiet.

* * *

 **Sun**

 _This is how she laughs with the Sun._

 **Extreme**

Noriko steps outside of her house on a fine spring day to admire the weather and pauses considerately. Kiku has gotten a job as a gardener, so she won't be home until much later, but Noriko is fairly certain that the dust cloud in the distance wouldn't be her mother anyway.

Five minutes later, a boy with a bandage on his nose runs past the house, not even noticing her, shouting something about training "to the extreme!"

Noriko absently wonders if the boy's a boxer as well, even as an elated grin curls her lips.

 **Boxer**

The very next day, when Noriko spies the dust cloud on the horizon, she steps into the middle of the road and waits. Not long afterwards, the boy from yesterday appears, notices her from ten feet away, and skids to a stop, almost crashing into her.

She doesn't move an inch, though several strands of her hair is blown back from the wind.

"Hello," Noriko says, smile bright. "My name is Reiki Noriko. Who are you?"

The boy blinks at her before grinning widely. "I am Sasagawa Ryohei!" he proclaims loudly. "Would you like to join my extreme boxing club!?"

That would be a yes, she thinks to herself wryly. "No, thanks!" She laughs lightly, slipping on her tennis shoes. "How 'bout I run with you instead?"

"That sounds very extreme, too!" Ryohei gives her a thumbs-up and takes off, shouting over his shoulder, "Let's do an extreme workout!"

"Hai!~"

 **Group**

Tsuna and Takeshi take to Ryohei easily, all too used to her stunts. Tsuna quickly identifies Ryohei as "Onii-san" and just seems resigned to all of the craziness in his life now, even taking the "extremeness" in stride.

Good for him. Noriko is of the opinion that, no matter what, the life of her Sky should never be anything so disturbing and mundane as _boring_.

Takeshi, on the other hand, takes the sports route with Ryohei and goes with "Senpai" as the older boy is also a sports fanatic. Like he does everything else but baseball, he also takes the "extremeness" without blinking.

Kyoya and Ryohei just throw threats at each other and end up destroying a building or two in their fights. Which means all is as it should be, even if Tsuna outright faints and Takeshi panics.

Noriko is delighted. Sky, Rain, Cloud, Sun - four down, three to go.

(She resolves to slap the Mist when she finds him though. Hopefully, he won't be like - )

 **Training**

It's a bonus when exposure to Ryohei and insistence from Noriko results in Tsuna and Takeshi joining in on the morning runs and occasionally, some stretches and exercises as well.

Now, if Noriko can only sneak some katas in...

Kyoya grunts when she mentions it. He eyes them all contemplatively, no doubt wondering how long it'll take for him to get a decent fight.

 **Warmth**

She still dreams at night, of beautiful pocket watches and a laughing, chaotic family.

But it's alright.

When she wakes up in the morning, that warmth doesn't fade away anymore.

Noriko smiles brilliantly.


	7. Ryohei

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Ryohei**

 _This is how the sun comforts the moon._

 **Panic**

When Ryohei first sees the small little girl with the large eyes and long hair standing in the middle of the road, he extremely panics. If he can't stop in time, he might extremely hurt her! And why isn't she moving yet!?

 **Extreme**

Ryohei manages to skid to a halt before they can collide though, to which he breathes a sigh of relief. The little girl who sorta, really, kinda reminds him of his cute sister doesn't flinch, even when it looks like she's going to get hurt.

He decides she's really very extreme, just for that alone.

Kyoko always tells him that it's a tad scary when he comes running in from out of nowhere.

 **Introductions**

Reiki is, exactly like he suspected, an extreme training partner, the first one he's ever met that can keep up with his extreme workouts! Even better, she introduces him to her friends, who are all just as extreme as she is!

 **Ghost**

Ryohei isn't the smartest guy in the school, but he tries to catch all of the important parts in his life before they can slip away. That wouldn't be extreme at all!

He is the first one who realizes that Reiki sometimes looks _through_ them all, like they're not there, like she's seeing something different. As if they are all ghosts of people she knew before.

"Life should be lived to the extreme!" he tells her one day when he notices her staring distantly at Tsuna and Takeshi, who are talking to each other in quiet voices. "You shouldn't dwell on the past so much, Reiki!"

She blinks and smiles, a rueful edge to her expression. "Dwell on the past, hmm? You're right, of course. Thanks, Ryohei-kun."

He simply beams brightly and sends her a thumbs-up.

 **Brash**

"You can't be so thoughtless," she berates when she has to bandage his wounds for the sixth time that week. "Stay off this leg for the next week, Ryohei-kun! I mean it!"

"But I have extreme training to do!" he protests, even as he tries to think of an excuse to tell his sister later. He does not want her to have to worry about him again.

"That doesn't matter, not when your body is in such a shape," she says sternly, hands nonetheless gentle on his cuts and bruises. "You can train to the extreme when your body is _healed_ to the extreme."

* * *

 **Happiness**

 _This is how they laugh._

 **Clumsy**

"We have a test in Engl - whoa, careful there, Tsuna!" Takeshi grabs his arm seconds before he would have gone down, tripping over his own haphazard shoelaces. The baseball player hauls Tsuna up, glancing over him carefully.

Tsuna blushes heavily, stuttering his thanks while Noriko kneels to tie his shoelaces properly. They both wave him off and drag him to class before Kyoya can come up behind them and start a game of cat and mouse.

Leaning against a column not far away, said boy sighs in resignation and rolls his eyes.

 **Game**

"Wow, Yamamoto-san, you were incredible!"

"Yeah, it's all because of you that we were able to win today!"

"Hahaha, thanks guys." Takeshi smiles and rubs the back of his head, eyes scanning the crowd. He spots fluffy brown and platinum blonde and snow white in no time and his face lights up. "Ah, I'll see you all later, okay?"

Without waiting for an answer, he breaks off from his team to bask in Tsuna's sincere congratulations and Noriko's tight hug and Ryohei's bone-breaking slap on the back.

 **Help**

"Ryohei-kun, be _careful,"_ Noriko scolds lightly after she rescues Sasagawa Kyoko with some good old pepper spray. She bandages the boxer's minor wounds with his first-aid kit while Tsuna fusses over Kyoko and Takeshi serves sushi.

Kyoya is already tracking down the stupid high school students responsible, bloodthirsty grin in place and tonfas in hand. No one feels a shred of pity, not even kind Tsuna.

Ryohei just smiles gratefully at her. "Thank you very much, Reiki!"

Noriko sighs, but answers for the group with a bright smile. "Anytime."

 **Birthday**

When Kyoya's birthday comes around, Noriko giggles mischievously and tells everyone two weeks beforehand.

That day, Kyoya finds a book on ancient Japanese traditions, a perfectly cooked hamburger steak, a gakuran jacket, and a three-tier birthday cake on his rooftop. There isn't even any crowding or chattering involved.

It's not so bad, he admits to himself, taking a bite of the cake. It's delicious and exactly to his taste.

 **Graduation**

Ryohei and Kyoya both graduate before the rest of them do.

By this point, Tsuna has grown used to the Cloud's rigid ways and steady presence. Takeshi is friendly and easygoing to the point that even aggressive Kyoya does not deter him.

And they have gotten along with Ryohei from the start.

Tsuna's quieter than usual. Takeshi's smile is strained. Noriko just sulks and pouts, mental age be damned.

Ryohei grins brightly and reassures them that their morning runs will extremely continue. Kyoya deadpans and tells them that if they break the rules, he'll bite them to death, middle school or not.

 **Fireworks**

The explosions form sparkles and glitter, stars and diamonds and hope. They light up the sky in crimson, azure, emerald, gold. Even after the fireworks are gone, they stay on their little hill.

Tsuna falls asleep on Takeshi's shoulder. Ryohei snores on the soft grass, splayed out on Noriko's right. Kyoya dozes on his folded up jacket, and Noriko exchanges a happy glance with Takeshi.

This is how things should be. This is contentment.

(But there are three empty spaces that only she realizes they have left between themselves without even noticing.)


	8. Development

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Development**

 _This is what they are becoming._

 **Committee**

"You created a club?" Noriko questions incredulously, feeling like the world has been turned upside down. In what universe does the Cloud enjoy _crowding_?

Kyoya glares at her, dressed in a spiffy uniform with the gakuran jacket thrown on top of his shoulders. "Not a _club,_ Reiki. A Disciplinary Committee."

Of course. Why on Earth would she think differently? "Why?"

"The herbivores in Namimori Middle need herding and I don't have enough time to do everything by myself," he reasons pragmatically.

"And the...pompadours...?"

Kyoya shrugs gracefully. "Why should I care? It's not against school regulations."

Noriko resists the urge to face-palm. Kami-sama, this is just like how CEDEF got started.

 **Bodyguards**

Things change slightly, when Kyoya leaves. The rule-breaking in the school suddenly swells, as do the bullies that walk the hallways.

Still, after Noriko casually trips an upperclassman trying to shove Tsuna to the side, after Takeshi laughingly tells off a fellow classmate trying to threaten lunch money from Tsuna, no one tries to bully their precious Sky.

Tsuna just blinks away the tears in his eyes and wonders how he got so lucky.

Unbeknownst to him, Noriko and Takeshi are asking themselves the same thing.

 **Boxing**

"You created a club?" Noriko questions curiously, whirling around on light feet around the sushi restaurant Takeshi's father runs.

"That's extremely right!" Ryohei beams, all but throwing off light in his extreme joyousness. "An extreme boxing club! You all should join!"

"Hahaha, we're not even in Namimori Middle yet, Senpai," Takeshi points out cheerfully, slicing some fish with quick, deft movements.

Noriko wonders how long it'll take for that katana hanging on the wall to make its way into the Rain's hands.

"You should join anyway!" Ryohei insists, taking no notice when Tsuna just shakes his head numbly and stares blankly at his homework.

Noriko sighs and opens the textbook. For some reason, even though he's older than them, Ryohei sits in on the tutoring sessions, too.

 **Sick**

Her head hurts and her throat is sore, her mind dazed and her heart aching. She wanders the fog of her memories in a trance, finds herself crying when she is met with a family she can't reach, a home she cannot touch.

They're all gone, gone -

A cool rag is placed on her forehead, a soothing voice telling her that it's alright, everything's okay. Another voice, bright and calm, says that he'll be back soon, that he'll be sure to win the baseball game for her.

For Noriko.

 _But isn't her name Cynthia?_

A blanket is flung over her trembling form, a loud but hushed voice informing her that she'll be extremely better soon. That warm presence fades away, leaving the accepting, comforting person who stays by her bedside.

It's okay, he says, Hibari-san won't bite her to death for being absent this one time.

 **Style**

It is Noriko and Kyoya who are the most well-dressed in their family. Or to be exact, they are the ones who actually care about what they look like.

Tsuna, for one, values comfort over looks. He's happy in t-shirts, jeans, and comfy hoodies. The utter rebelliousness of his hair and his frequent falls don't help much.

Both Takeshi and Ryohei are the epitome of the sporty type. When not in tank tops, sweatpants, and sneakers, they're in casual shirts and jackets, often rumpled and wrinkled.

Kyoya is the traditional one, the one whose expectations of everyone, including himself, are sky high. He always makes certain his dress shirts and pants are ironed, his ties perfectly straight.

As for Noriko...she has clear memories of the days she juggled dozens of meetings weekly and was required to negotiate with different factions. Appearances play a heavy role in judgment and respect, and old habits die hard.

She _would_ be in formal clothes whenever out of her school uniform, but Noriko knows the value of blending in as well, and unlike with Kyoya, people would talk if an elementary student was dressing strangely.

So, Noriko just sticks with pretty, classy clothes. She honestly has no idea why Tsuna gives her such a horrified look when she shows up on Christmas Eve in a white lacy evening dress.

 **Mature**

If someone with an accuracy of one hundred percent were to make a list ranking the small little family's levels of maturity under normal circumstances, that list would go like this:

1\. Noriko

2\. Kyoya

3\. Ryohei

4\. Tsuna

5\. Takeshi

Of course, this list would be very doubtful, as the circumstances of their lives are never exactly "normal."

Case in point: Noriko laughing as she runs away from a bear she was provoking, Kyoya and Ryohei entering into a competition to see who can inflict the most damage on said bear, and Takeshi trying to comfort a sobbing Tsuna.

 **Goofiness**

On some deep level, everyone is aware that Noriko is hiding something. Everyone subconsciously understands that Noriko is _more_ than the laughing, carefree girl who invites trouble wherever she goes.

On a more cognizant level, everyone generally agrees that she's gleefully insane.

"...I'm sorry, Nori-chan, but could you repeat that?" Tsuna asks, hoping against hope that his ears are actually malfunctioning.

To his horror, Noriko's smile doesn't even falter as she chirps, "I got us some tickets for skydiving! Tomorrow at five in the morning, okay?"

"Hiiiieeeee!"

Notably, no one questions where she got the tickets from when her family is struggling to make ends meet, just as her parents don't ask where the mysterious sums of money that arrive every few weeks come from.

 **Baby**

Tsuna, Noriko, and Takeshi graduate in no time at all, leaving Namimori Elementary for Namimori Middle.

Then, the baby hitman named Reborn comes.


	9. Reborn

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Reborn**

 _This is how everything starts._

 **Call**

Ten minutes after Tsuna hears of Reborn's mission, he's flipping open his cell phone and jabbing his finger into the number one button. All of his friends are on speed dial, though the day he calls Hibari is the day he's in mortal danger.

With what he has learned today, it doesn't seem so far-fetched now.

 _'Mafia!'_ his mind wails in a panic because Tsuna was under the impression that his life was plenty crazy, but he now realizes that this situation really takes the cake.

"Tsuna?" Noriko's voice, clear and silvery, comes through the speaker, and Tsuna nearly breaks down in tears as he spills everything to his first friend and confidant.

 **Anger**

Noriko listens patiently to Tsuna's situation and tells him to calm down. She assures him that no matter what, she will always be by his side and chats with him about the mess dumped into their laps until he doesn't sound so hysterical.

She bids him goodbye and dials Takeshi afterwards to ask him to escort Tsuna to school. She doesn't trust this Reborn with her Sky. Hell, she doesn't trust anyone but her family with her Sky, much less a hitman.

Then, Noriko takes a deep breath and leaves to find Kyoya. She does not enjoy fighting - diplomacy, judgment is her domain - but she needs to work off the fury boiling in her gut.

 **Mafia**

Noriko sighs and collapses on the school rooftop. Kyoya sits down next to her, both of them breathing harshly. It's a stalemate, but they have been fighting for near to an hour.

The silence is comfortable. He knows when not to push. She closes her eyes and lets her head loll back.

The _Mafia._ The Vongola are now a Mafia Famiglia, the strongest and most influential Mafia Famiglia in Italy, if Tsuna's new tutor is to be believed. She does not need to have it spelled out for her; they are a ruthless, violent organization.

One filled with crime and blood.

This...was never what they wanted. Never what was meant to happen. This is not the Vongola she helped Giotto create. This is an abomination.

This is the mafia syndicate that Tsuna is meant to inherit.

 _How dare they?_

 **Arcobaleno**

Noriko - _Cynthia -_ knows of the Arcobaleno in a distant way, as she knows of nearly everything but her family in that past life. It was Alaude who'd first informed her of their existence, after the relocation to Japan.

 _They are said to be the seven strongest infants in the world,_ he'd said to her, low and even. _Cursed but powerful._

It takes her less than a minute to identify the gun-toting, suit-wearing Reborn as one.

 **Dying Will**

Noriko freezes when Tsuna shows up at her house in nothing but boxers, an orange flame burning on his forehead, and eyes narrowed in determination. "NORI-CHAN, LET'S GO TO SCHOOL!" he shouts, grabbing her hand.

She has less than a second to process what's going on before they are off, Tsuna all but dragging her the entire way, to pick up Takeshi. They reach TakeSushi ten minutes sooner than expected.

Oh. Noriko smiles brightly at the surprise in Takeshi's eyes before Tsuna grabs him too and lugs them both to school. It's been a long time since she's seen the Dying Will Mode.

She refuses to admit to herself that when she first opened her door and saw those eyes, saw that flame, she thought -

 **Match**

Noriko is none too impressed when the judge from the kendo match favors Mochida heavily, not even awarding the points he should be awarding to Tsuna when he gets a few good blows in, courtesy of the training with Ryohei and Kyoya.

(Well, Ryohei loudly encourages Tsuna to keep up with his extreme workouts, and Kyoya fights them all, once a month, and he hits punishingly hard when Tsuna can't keep up. So far, only Noriko has been able to force a stalemate with Kyoya.

But that is to be expected. They are all still so _young._ )

Pursing her lips, Noriko rises to her feet and pushes past the gathered crowd to smile sweetly at the kendo judge. She decides to stay by his side the entire time, visibly unnerving the fool, and when Tsuna wins, a clear hit to the head, Noriko turns a stern blue-grey gaze on the judge until he declares victory.

 **Suspicious**

Reborn does not accept coincidence. Few, _few_ things in this world are coincidence.

The fact that Tsuna, while clumsy, quiet, and a little hesitant, is stable, happy, and occasionally assertive, wholly unlike the reports the spies gave, is not accepted as a coincidence.

And what do you know? When Reborn tracks down the spies, they are lounging about, not even giving an impression of doing their jobs, all clearly incompetent. He beats them up, fires them, and sends them crying out of Namimori.

He chews out Iemitsu, too, because Tsuna is certainly not his "fluffy, shy, adorable tuna-fishie!"

The fact that Tsuna has gathered around him _three_ potential Guardians - Rain, Sun, Cloud - all brimming with aptitude in their own ways, is not accepted as a coincidence either.

Everything, he finds, links back to one Reiki Noriko's friendship with Sawada Tsunayoshi. A little digging tells Reborn that they became friends back in kindergarten, but the Sun Arcobaleno cannot identify the girl in any one category.

And perhaps that's the problem. Reborn finds himself hard-pressed to keep up with Noriko's shifts in mood.

With Tsuna, she is protective, encouraging, and reckless.

With Takeshi, she is relaxed, sincere, and mirthful.

With Ryohei, she is motherly, watchful, and supportive.

With Kyoya, she is quiet, introspective, and calm.

Reborn cannot figure out which Flame Reiki Noriko holds, to his slight discomfort.


	10. Storm

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Storm**

 _This is how the Storm pledges allegiance._

 **Animosity**

There is a transfer student from Italy, a delinquent boy with silver hair and emerald eyes named Gokudera Hayato.

Noriko takes in the way he glares at Tsuna, at the sticks of dynamite she can only just catch hidden on his body, and feels her heart twist in her chest.

There is something so very _wrong_ with seeing the Storm threaten his Sky like this, but there's nothing she can do about it for now.

 **Dynamite**

"Are you trying to kill him?" Noriko asks Reborn, hands clenched at her sides. She does not interfere in the fight between Hayato and Tsuna because this is between her Boss and his Right-Hand Man, but -

It leaves a bitter taste in her mouth.

"Of course not," Reborn says nonchalantly, holding up a gun that sings to her senses, whispers of flames and heat. "Dame-Tsuna can't become a magnificent mafia boss if he's dead."

"No," she finds herself responding, narrowing her eyes at him. "Tsuna won't become a mafia boss at all."

Dark abyssal eyes shift a fraction to stare at her chillingly, but before he can answer, there is a panicked scream from Tsuna. Hayato, it seems, has accidentally dropped a dynamite stick and will die by explosion soon.

"Do it with your Dying Will," Reborn says and fires.

It is only because Noriko has faith in Tsuna that she does not panic and run forward to tackle Hayato out of the way.

 **Devotion**

"Who the hell are you?" Hayato snarls at Noriko after he has finished swearing his eternal loyalty to Tsuna, glowering at her with wary eyes. Tsuna frowns, glancing between them with concern, but Noriko merely smiles.

Hotheaded, this one. But loyal, so very loyal.

"Hello," she says. "I'm Reiki Noriko, one of Tsuna's best friends. Nice to meet you."

As she expects, Hayato accepts her easily after that. Takeshi and Ryohei, not so much. Kyoya just grumbles about herbivores and crowding before stalking off to his rooftop.

 **Uncertain**

It unnerves Noriko to see Hayato so uncertain of his place at Tsuna's side. From the very start, Giotto and G. were friends, best friends, so perhaps that is why the hesitation in those green eyes makes her bite her lip.

 _Patience,_ she consoles herself, knowing her Sky has already began working his magic on his insecure Storm. Everything is falling in place, now there is only the Lightning and the Mist.

(Please - )

Still, Noriko does not hesitate to offer Hayato her smiles and hugs and affection. From the way he jerks subtly at every touch, every hint of warmth and acceptance, he needs it.

 **Passionate**

Hayato is indeed hotheaded. His temper is unbelievably short, his dynamite sticks flung recklessly this way and that. He is so very desperate to earn his place at Tsuna's side that it only frightens him.

"You don't have anything you need to prove," Noriko tells him one afternoon, having invited him over to their tutoring sessions to help everyone else. The others have left, but she has asked him to stay behind for a chat.

He scowls, fidgeting in place, the vehemence in his voice not quite hiding the doubt in his eyes. "What are you talking about!?"

She smiles and rises from her seat to envelop him in a close hug, ignoring how he stiffens up and holds himself still as if a single move will shatter something. "Tsuna will accept you no matter what," she whispers. "You'll see."

* * *

 **Hayato**

 _This is how the moon guides the storm._

 **Friend**

Hayato first accepts Noriko's presence because he sees how Juudaime looks to her for advice, support. In turn, she dotes on Juudaime, and if this girl makes his boss happy, then of course Hayato will gladly accept her.

 **Strange**

She's a strange one, Reiki Noriko. Rather than just tolerating Hayato like he expected, Noriko effortlessly pulls him into the already established group, admitting him inside without even batting an eyelid.

Worse, she does it so smoothly that he only notices after he is openly arguing with the baseball idiot and the turftop head, defending his boss from the damned prefect, and realizes that she is laughing, wild and silver.

 **Care**

Noriko's hair is soft and silky and smells of lavender and vanilla. Hayato knows because she has the weirdest habit of ambushing him with hugs whenever he isn't paying attention and his nose frequently ends up in her platinum hair.

He tries not to think of why she only does that with Juudaime, Yamamoto, and Hayato.

 **Weapons**

To this day, Noriko has never once flinched away from Hayato's dynamite, not even that one time her surprise hug startles him to the point that he whips out a fully lit dynamite stick on her.

She only laughs at the horror on his face when he realizes what he has done and tells him that it's alright. Apparently, the damned prefect does worse, although Hayato has never seen Noriko jump Hibari like she does to him.

 **Sister**

When Bianchi arrives in town, bringing with her nauseating memories of poison and music and dark murmurs in the hallways, it is Noriko who finds Hayato huddled over Juudaime's toilet bowl, heaving his guts out.

Preoccupied, he does not even realize she is there but dimly registers the gentle hands that hold his hair back as he hurls. When he is done at last, she flushes the toilet and hands him a cup of cold water.

Hayato grimaces and washes out his mouth with the clean water, spitting it out in the sink. He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand and stares tentatively at his calm classmate, who just smiles sweetly at him.

There is no judgment in her eyes.

Soon, he learns that family, _their_ family, is beyond such conviction.


	11. Lightning

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Lightning**

 _This is how the Lightning trips into their lives._

 **Bruises**

Noriko opens her door to find a sheepish Tsuna on her doorstep, holding a small boy in a cowsuit, tears in his green eyes and rather dirty.

She blinks. "Tsuna...?" He's lucky that both of her parents are always far too busy with work to be home.

He grimaces apologetically. "Sorry, Nori-chan, but can you..." He gestures wordlessly to the child.

She sighs and holds the door open wider. "Come on in."

 **Candy**

"I'm the G-Great Lambo-san from I-Italy, a Hi-Hitman from the Bovino F-Famiglia!" the child announces through his sniffles and tears. "Favorites foods are grapes and candy!" He stops here to make puppy dog eyes at Noriko.

She huffs out a laugh. Quirking a smile, Noriko reaches out to grab the boy under his armpits and lifts him up to make her way to the cabinets. Opening one, she displays the candy in the bowl.

"Which one?" she asks and watches as his face clears of tears in an impressive amount of time.

Lampo had loved sweets, too.

 **Babysitting**

Since it's clear that Noriko can handle Lambo, Tsuna leaves before Reborn can come find him and drag him away. She almost wishes he doesn't, for though he was much older and stronger, this child reminds her so very much of another boy.

Humming underneath her breath of a distant lullaby she recalls Daemon once singing to her, Noriko rocks Lambo from side to side after the child is stuffed full of pasta and watches as he falls asleep, face peaceful and trusting.

She drops the boy off at Tsuna's house before her parents can return, but promises a sleepy Lambo that he can come see her whenever he likes.

 **Grenades**

Noriko shakes her head and laughs alongside Takeshi as bullets and grenades and dynamite are pelted at them, the two of them taking turns in keeping a shrieking Tsuna out of the path of danger.

So this is the Family Entrance Test, huh?

Shame. It's a bit too late. They are already family. The only one missing now...

...is the Mist.

 **Bazooka**

"Hey, Sorellona!" A fifteen-year-old Lambo smiles happily at Noriko, having rushed out of the pink smoke to hug her around the waist tightly. "Man, you look so young!"

After a moment's surprise, she laughs and hugs him back, but inwardly narrows her eyes at the ring that glitters on his finger. "Hello, Lambo-kun. How are you doing?"

"I'm good." Lambo pulls back, looking her over attentively. Noriko takes the chance to do the same and feels her heart clench at how very _similar_ Lambo looks to Lampo.

If this trend continues...

"Take care of yourself, alright, Sorellona?" Lambo says, a serious look in his green eyes. "Things'll be okay."

And then he disappears in a cloud of pink smoke.

* * *

 **Lambo**

 _This is how white electricity illuminates the dark moon._

 **Home**

Lambo finds a home with the Sawada household.

Nana is his mama, he decides. She always gives Lambo delicious food and cuddles him like his real mama did before she left for heaven. She's always really nice, too, all warm and kind and gentle.

Tsuna is his brother, he thinks. Even though he's pretty clumsy, he looks out for Lambo and keeps him from getting hurt. He can even sometimes stop meanie Reborn from being mean to Lambo.

But Lambo chooses Noriko as his big sister. She doesn't live with his mama and his brother, but she's over lots of times and she lets Lambo go over to her house whenever he wants, so it doesn't really matter.

She sings to him and buys candy for him, plays games with him for hours at a time and listens carefully to his rants and temper tantrums.

Lambo thinks he's very lucky to have such a good family.

 **Future**

When Lambo goes to the future, he knows he isn't supposed to tell anyone about what happened.

But he is always happy to be taken care by the future version of his sister. She's just as sweet and wild as she is in his time, but she looks all grown up, too. Really pretty with her long hair and soft smile.

Lambo wonders why the weird-looking women with pink hair bow to her.

 **Scared**

"Neh, Lambo-kun? Aren't you scared of fighting?" Noriko asks, bandaging up the fork-shaped boo-boo on his forehead that meanie Reborn gave him.

Lambo shakes his head vehemently and puffs up his chest. "Of course not! The Great Lambo-kun isn't scared of _anything_!"

"I see," she responds, a strange little smile on her lips. "Well then, why don't we get ice cream?"

He perks up, lifting his arms insistently. "Lambo-san wants grape flavor!"

 **Fair**

Sorellona is always fair, Lambo finds out, even when he thinks she shouldn't be. It's great when she takes his side rather than Tsuna's, but sometimes, she takes Tsuna's side, and he can't even argue 'cause she isn't being _unfair._

"Lambo-kun," Noriko scolds lightly, taking the grenade from his hand. "You can't just throw grenades at Tsuna. What if he gets hurt?"

Lambo pouts and clings to her neck with both hands, burying his face in her shoulder. "But Sorellona! Tsuna-nii was being mean! He wouldn't take Lambo-san out for grape candy!"

"That doesn't mean you can throw grenades at him," she says calmly. "If I can't trust you with weapons, then I'll have to take them away. You don't want that, do you?"

He pales and shakes his head. "Noooo! Lambo-san won't throw grenades at Tsuna-nii anymore, promise!"

"Good," Noriko says simply and offers him a piece of candy.


	12. Progress

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Progress**

 _This is how they grow._

 **Slap**

Noriko pays little attention to the insistent girl screaming at Tsuna until she raises a hand and would have slapped Tsuna had he not automatically stopped her.

Then, she is suddenly, completely, utterly focused on the one who _dares_ to attack her Sky.

 **Reasonable**

Regardless of her anger, there is a reason Cynthia was the Vongola Adviser. Noriko does not lose her cool, does not act rashly. Rather, she listens closely to the following conversation and decides that there was simply a miscommunication.

Well that, and this Miura Haru comes to conclusions far too easily and has a thing about babies.

 **Disease**

Noriko frowns. "Tsuna's dying from a disease caused by the Dying Will Bullets?" she echoes, brow furrowed. That is not what she wants to hear first thing in the morning.

Reborn nods, looking annoyingly composed and not at all worried. "That's right. You should probably hurry if you want to hear his last words."

She ignores the slight taunting tone of his voice - he has been trying to get a handle on her since their first meeting and hasn't succeeded yet - to turn on her heel and make her way to the Sawada household.

 **Embarrassing**

"Tsuna," Noriko says, exasperated, when he attempts to push her away, cheeks aflame with humiliation, to prevent her from reading the secrets written all over his skin. "Stop that. There is _nothing_ that will make me turn away from you."

And she means it, too.

Tsuna's cheeks go even redder, but he lets her envelop him in a hug and call Takeshi and Hayato. Doubtlessly, they will want to know about this.

 **Doctor**

Noriko narrows her eyes at the sleazy-looking man on the doorstep. For the first and only time since they have met - trying to kill Tsuna was a bad first impression - she is in agreement with Bianchi. Killing this man would be for the good of the world.

Alas, there is her dying Sky to think of.

"Hi, beautiful," Shamal leers at her, reaching out with hands that are nonetheless stained with blood. "How about a kiss?"

Noriko pins him with the flattest stare she can offer and steps away. "Cure Tsuna," she demands. "And stay away from me."

 **Hideout**

Reborn tricks Noriko, Tsuna, Hayato, and Takeshi into a meeting with the Leader of the Disciplinary Committee. She isn't sure what he's trying to pull, but shrugs it off and watches as Tsuna smiles placatingly at an irritated Kyoya.

"Hamburger steak tomorrow?" he offers weakly.

"Hn."

 **Pole**

Noriko isn't at all interested in the whole pole knocking event although Ryohei is rearing to go and Tsuna is panicking over his new position as leader. Takeshi and Hayato are just happy to support Tsuna...despite his futile protests.

Even Kyoya gets drawn into the chaos. Apparently, he wants to fight Reborn, a "carnivore."

As can only be expected with nearly the entire family thrown in the mix, the whole thing collapses in a fantastic turnabout. Noriko just shakes her head and eats her cotton candy.

 **Killing**

Noriko carefully kneels down and checks the breathing and heartbeat of the body on the floor. A second passes. Two. Three. The tension rises like a swelling wave until she rises to her feet and turns to face Tsuna, eyes unreadable.

Then, she smiles and claps her hands. "Congratulations, Tsuna! He's really dead!"

Tsuna blanches and briefly looks like he's going to pass out. His unsteady state isn't helped when Ryohei helpfully clasps a hand on his shoulder. "It's extremely okay, Sawada!" he booms. "We'll get through this!"

"Wao," Kyoya murmurs, leaning against the open window. "Your fangs are growing, little omnivore."

"What's with the sudden increase in respect!?" Tsuna shrieks, grabbing his head in his hands and falling to the floor. "I'm doomed! Doomed!"

"Calm down, Tsuna," Noriko soothes, settling down next to him to comb through his soft hair. "Hibari-san can deal with the body, right?"

Kyoya nods sharply, retrieving his cell phone. "I'll send someone from the Disciplinary Committee over."

"You're using the Committee to cover up a murder?" Takeshi deadpans, poking the corpse with his toe cautiously.

 **Fraud**

As it turns out though, the "thief" wasn't actually dead. He is just someone Reborn called over to give Tsuna his first taste of death and cause a heart attack for everyone else.

At this, every single person in the room turns around to aim a glare at the baby hitman, who merely sips at his coffee, unperturbed.

It's times like these that Noriko ruefully remembers that the one who was best at planning revenge was Dae -

She cuts that thought off before it can incapacitate.

 **Birthday**

Noriko is the one who organizes both Reborn and Tsuna's birthday parties, one on October 13th and one on October 14th. She's displeased when Nana all but admits to _forgetting_ about her son's birthday, but doesn't show it.

She has long since come to reluctantly accept that Tsuna's parents are highly negligent of him, both in their different ways. Her own parents are ignorant of her activities and constantly busy with work, but they love her and are always there if she needs them.

Sawada Iemitsu, on the other hand, has been absent for almost the entirety of Tsuna's life. The realization of his status as a mafioso is an excuse; if he truly wants to spend time with his family, he would, regardless of his job.

Sawada Nana...well, she is a kind person, but she puts down her son more than she helps him. Her ditzy ways and passive nature do not endear her to Noriko, who would rather Nana deal with her marriage problems outright.

But that is Tsuna's family. She knows he will straighten out the mess when the time comes.


	13. Adventures

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Adventures**

 _This is how they explore._

 **Tradition**

"In our family, during the odd year birthday, it's tradition for there to be a legendary Vongolian Birthday Game," Reborn announces.

"G-Game?" Tsuna repeats nervously, sneaking a glance at Noriko, who smiles innocently. He has endured years of the petite girl pulling weird and obscure traditions out of nowhere, most of them far too dangerous.

"The game is simple. The person who's celebrating a birthday is going to give scores to the participants' 'present' or 'performance.' And then the participant with the highest score earns a present," Reborn explains.

"Let me guess," Tsuna sighs. "The one with the lowest score dies?"

"That's right!" Reborn confirms cheerily.

 **Present**

Noriko nudges a bag of fine-quality Italian coffee beans across the table and receives ninety points for her efforts. She smiles wistfully as the party goes on, thinking of a birthday party for an altogether different Sun.

It was Ugetsu who suggested a game for entertainment and things had really only deteriorated from there. Knuckle was notoriously competitive, after all, vows to God or not, though the penalty was a day of prayer, not death.

And Giotto had laughed and gifted Knuckle with a red scarf.

"Oi, Nori?" Takeshi peers at her with a smile that doesn't quite hide the worry in his eyes. "You okay?"

"Ah...yeah. I just got caught up in my thoughts for a moment. Sorry." Noriko smiles brightly, waving the moment off just in time to stop Tsuna from twisting himself up into a pretzel.

She imagines that would have hurt.

 **Gifts**

The next day, they throw a party for Tsuna, this time without the life-or-death game. Well, Noriko, Takeshi, Hayato, Ryohei, and Lambo throw a party for Tsuna.

Kyoya just drops by in the middle to scowl at them all for crowding and hurls a present at Tsuna before driving away on his motorcycle.

The radiant smile that Tsuna gifts them all with is definitely worth it though.

 **I-Pin**

Noriko is less interested in the Chinese Triad Hitman than she is in the Storm Arcobaleno who follows his apprentice to Namimori. I-Pin's crush on Kyoya is amusing, but Noriko has no doubts that the little girl is no threat to Tsuna, not with Hayato and Takeshi keeping an eye on him.

Her master is a different story. It's only because she knows that Reborn, abusive and violent as he is, will let no harm come to his charge that she reluctantly lets off on confronting the Storm Arcobaleno.

It helps that while able to fight Kyoya to a standstill most of the time, Noriko is not Cynthia. She is not that powerful, not yet, though she has trained since she was capable of walking, and she does not want to push her luck, not when her Sky is still so entrenched in this mafia business.

 **Barricade**

"Tsuna...what's going on?" Noriko asks curiously, eyeballing the various men in suits surrounding the Sawada house.

"No idea," Tsuna sighs, but trudges forward nonetheless. "Um...excuse me, can I pass through?"

"You can't," is the blunt, but not unkind response. "I can only let Sawada family members pass through right now..."

"Eh...I'm Sawada Tsunayoshi..."

 **Dino**

There's a blond man sitting in an expensive leather chair in Tsuna's room, flanked with two more men in suits. He introduces himself as Dino, the Boss of the Chiavarone Famiglia and Reborn's former student.

Noriko almost instantly dislikes him on principle. She refrains because that is hardly impartial to the man.

Then, Dino begins criticizing Tsuna, saying that he's completely unsuited to being a mafia boss. Noriko agrees, but the reasons he's citing are wrong. Worse, she can see her Sky all but shrinking underneath the comments.

This time, she does not stop the cool, hard anger from rising up, and steps in front of her best friend, shielding him from their view.

"Enough," Noriko says, meeting Dino's brown eyes without blinking. "Didn't your mother ever teach you that if you can't say anything nice, then don't say anything at all?" Plus, two on one is utterly unfair.

She inwardly relishes in the gobsmacked look on his face.

 **Clumsy**

Apparently, Dino is just yet another test and example Reborn devised. He has the grace to apologize for his comments and claims Tsuna as his little brother on the basis of them both being Reborn's students.

That is all fine, but he also turns out to be clumsier than Tsuna and drops his pet turtle in the bathtub. In seconds, there is an enormous monster out to destroy the house.

Noriko pins him with a justifiably bland stare and watches while Dino stutters incoherently.

 **Momokyokai**

A black car comes out of nowhere and a whip lashes out. Tsuna is swiftly kidnapped before anyone can react and is gone. Reborn claims that a group of yakuza named Momokyokai did it, and Takeshi and Hayato run off to rescue Tsuna.

Noriko remains behind and crosses her arms.

"Aren't you going to go help out Tsuna?" Reborn asks her.

She scoffs, eyes sparkling. "Honestly, Reborn, did you really think I wouldn't recognize Dino's whip?"

He merely smirks slyly.

 **Hospital**

Tsuna somehow ends up in the hospital.

It's Dino's fault _again_.

Noriko's half-tempted to sic his own turtle on him.

Thankfully, Kyoya informs her that he is keeping an eye on Tsuna, having caught a small cold earlier.

 **Protection**

Reborn corners her while Tsuna is in the hospital. "You can't protect him forever," he says warningly. "If you try, it'll only hurt him in the end."

Noriko doesn't flinch. "I'll protect him until he can protect himself," she retorts because that is her duty. "I'll protect him until he can protect everyone _he_ wants to protect."


	14. Undertakings

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn!**

* * *

 **Undertakings**

 _This is how they improve._

 **Lost**

Noriko is watching Ryohei win a boxing match when her phone rings loudly. She picks it up to hear Tsuna yell hysterically through the satellite phone she insisted he buy about being lost in a forest somewhere.

Apparently, Takeshi and Hayato are there with him, too. Surprise, surprise. It's _still_ Dino's fault.

"Reiki! Is something extremely wrong?" Ryohei peers down at her, wiping his brow with a towel.

Noriko sighs and gets to her feet, smiling fondly. "We should go find Hibari-san," she says vaguely. "He has the biggest task force."

 **Annoyed**

Needless to say, the Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee is _not_ impressed when he hears of the situation and makes that clear to Tsuna five hours later when they finally find the group with the help of the prefects.

 **New Years**

There's another ceremony on New Years, Reborn explains to them, a battle between allied families. Representatives would be participating in themed competitions and the winning family would be awarded a generous prize.

Also, the loser family would be fined one million yen.

Noriko tilts her head to the side and muses on a cold day a few hundred years ago. It was a suggested game by Cozarto and that...that was fun, though the penalty was actually washing the dishes that night.

Considering both families spent the day together, there were a _lot_ of dishes.

The Vongola lost that game, but it was alright because mysteriously, G. and Ugetsu weren't able to sleep that night and showed up to help Giotto. Knuckle and Lampo popped up not much later.

Alaude was awoken by the noise and dragged Daemon up with him to suffer. Cynthia smiled in startled delight when Cozarto and his Guardians appeared. The dishes didn't taken much time to get done after that.

Instead of going back to sleep, they all gathered around in a large room and drank hot coffee, laughing and talking until dawn. And oh, it was a beautiful dawn, all rose pink and dazzling orange and bright ruby.

"Oi, Reiki, it's your turn!" Hayato shouts at her, snapping her out of her memories.

Noriko smiles and wonders if this year's dawn will be just as beautiful. She hopes so. "Coming!"

 **Parents**

"Nori-chan? Do you want us to go to your Parent Participation Day?" Kiku asks gently over dinner.

Noriko swallows her bite of rice and shakes her head. She doesn't want her parents caught up in her mess. "It's not necessary, Kaa-chan. Stay at home and rest."

"Well, if you say so..."

 **Fuuta**

Ranking Prince Fuuta shows up and begs Tsuna to take him in. Ever the soft-heart, Tsuna complies, and they all end up getting ranked.

Takeshi is ranked as number five for people with baseball potential.

Hayato ends up ranked number one for people suitable to be a kindergarten teacher.

Noriko is atmospherically out of range for rankings of fairness.

Tsuna's number one love ends up being Leon, the chameleon.

In the end, it turns out that it is raining and rain throws off Fuuta's rankings.

Noriko is just relieved that no one realizes that some of those rankings were, in fact, correct.

 **Valentine's**

Noriko gleefully passes out chocolates to everyone she knows on Valentine's Day like it's going out of style, having made a huge batch the day before.

The blush on Tsuna's cheeks is adorable, as is Lambo's proclamation that Sorellona's chocolate is the most delicious. Hayato splutters out his thanks while Takeshi laughs and returns the gesture with one of the chocolates his admirers threw at him.

Ryohei extremely thanks her and Kyoya hnns in acknowledgement. Bianchi treasures her "gift of love," as does Fuuta, who has long since adopted her as his Sorellona along with I-Pin. Even Reborn, ever the gentleman, accepts the gift with a nod of thanks.

 **Snowballs**

They have a fantastic snowball fight not long afterwards. It's silly and crazy and for a second, it's almost as if Noriko is back in the earliest days of the Vongola, by Giotto's side, debating with G., laughing with Ugetsu, playing with Lampo, competing with Knuckle, and -

Kyoya ends up 'winning,' seeing as he comes in at the last second and scoops up the turbo Leon.

Alaude always hated losing, no matter what sort of game or activity it was.

Noriko carefully refrains from thinking of the blue-haired man who turned every event into a befuddling, hilarious disarray.

 **Dojo**

Ryohei recruits them all to defend a dojo's board. Well, attempts to, anyway. He tries.

Kyoya almost sends the boxer to the hospital entirely because of principle.

Takeshi laughs apologetically and says he has baseball practice to go to.

Hayato dashes off, muttering about how it's time to restock his dynamite.

Lambo...bursts into tears and denies for the snacks Nana has promised to make.

Noriko listens to the situation and decides it's a spectacular day to get a haircut.

Later, when she hears about the whole wreck with I-Pin and a gang of hoodlums from an exasperated Tsuna, she nods and congratulates herself for having the foresight to avoid the matter entirely.

 **Truce**

Noriko and Reborn have an unspoken, unwritten, unacknowledged truce.

It's for Tsuna, of course. Because of Tsuna.

They don't trust each other. They would be stupid to.

To Reborn, Noriko is a complete unknown. She's an influence, a powerful one that he holds no control over but heavily impacts Tsuna and his potential Guardians.

To Noriko, Reborn is the tutor who seeks to drag Tsuna into the bloody world of the Mafia, the cursed baby who doesn't even seem to care that he'll _ruin_ Tsuna.

But they both want Tsuna to triumph.

And so Reborn and Noriko will play nice...for now.


	15. Shenanigans

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Shenanigans**

 _This is how they frolic._

 **Zoo**

"Why, aren't you mean, Reborn." Noriko laughs, eyeing the chaos from below curiously. The escaped lions are a nice touch.

"It's all for Tsuna's sake," Reborn reassures her, his small smirk smug. "It's about time for him to get a pet."

"You're ruining his date with Kyoko-chan," she points out, amused. He has a small crush on the Sun's pretty little sister, and she is fairly certain all this commotion cannot possibly be good for their possible relationship.

Reborn shrugs philosophically. "Trial by fire is a fine way to build a romantic relationship."

 **Sakura**

"I despise crowding," Kyoya hisses darkly, grey eyes flashing.

Takeshi laughs, though he doesn't make the mistake of flinging an arm over the prefect's shoulders. "Come on, Hibari! If you want, you can sit over there." He points three trees away from the one they are currently surrounding.

"Or you can just leave," Hayato mutters under his breath. He has held a minor grudge against Kyoya since the first time he defeated the bomber effortlessly in their once-a-month spars.

Kyoya smiles dangerously, spinning a tonfa in his hand lazily. "What was that, herbivore?"

"Hiieee! P-Please don't fight!" Tsuna interjects, forcing his way between the bloodthirsty Cloud and the volatile Storm. They subside reluctantly, but glare at each other over Tsuna's fluffy brown hair.

Shoulders falling in relief, Tsuna turns pleading brown eyes the prefect's way. "W-We'll try not to crowd, Hibari-san, but w-would you like to watch the sakura blossoms with us?"

Kyoya lasts an impressive ten seconds against those absolutely _lethal_ puppy dog eyes before glancing away with a grumble, tonfa disappearing. "Hn. I expect a decent spar next week, little omnivore."

Tsuna's face is an interesting mixture of happiness at his achievement and horror at the upcoming beating. Noriko comfortingly hands him an ice cream bar.

 **Longchamp**

Noriko stares at the crying, desolate boy on the ground, clad only in his boxers and apparently depressed out of his mind. Disregarding his atrocious taste in fashion, what on Earth is he doing?

"My past has been complete darkness... My future shall be complete darkness..." Naito Longchamp sobs, curling into himself. Hovering nearby, Tsuna looks horrified and Kyoya looks intrigued.

Noriko is the least violent of her family.

But.

"I'll give you three seconds," she says calmly, closing her eyes.

"Huh?

"Three..."

"H-Hey...!"

"Two..."

"Oi!"

"One..."

"W-Wait - !"

Noriko pivots gracefully on her foot and introduces the heel of her boot to his chest.

She hates self-pity.

"Wao," Kyoya mutters as Naito goes flying.

Tsuna just covers his eyes and sinks to his knees, whimpering softly.

 **Vacation**

Mafia Land is a fun place.

It's somewhat less fun when Tsuna goes missing.

Noriko tracks her Sky to the backstage of Mafia Land where he seems to be drowning in a whirlpool and being abused by two Arcobaleno.

She blinks, frowns. "Two on one isn't fair," Noriko says absently.

"Who cares, kora!?" the Rain Arcobaleno retorts without much thought before abruptly doing a double-take. "Who are you, kora!?"

"I can't swimmmmmm...!" comes the shriek of Tsuna trying to get away from vicious sharks.

"This is Reiki Noriko," Reborn introduces, blank-faced and unreadable but for the twinkle of mischief in his dark eyes. "She's Tsuna's best friend. Noriko, this is Colonello, the person in charge of training here."

"Humph, yet another weakling then?" Colonello leaps up and aims a kick at her head. Noriko dodges to the right automatically and earns herself an assessing look in return. "Aren't you supposed to be a civilian, kora!?"

Noriko only smiles and laughs. "I guess I'm a strange civilian, then."

(But she's never been _just_ a civilian, has she?)

 **Calcassa**

Noriko stays by the sidelines when the whole invasion thing blows up in the Cloud Arcobaleno's face. She would declare that the battle goes to Mafia Land, but she's fairly certain the conclusion is so obvious it's not necessary.

Still. It's almost as if she is the Judge of the Vongola for once more.

 **Wedding**

"I've always wanted to be a June bride," Bianchi confides, holding her bouquet of flowers close, the veils on both sides of her head shifting in the minor wind. "I asked Reborn about it many times and he nodded in agreement."

Noriko laughs, clapping her hands. She highly doubts this wedding will actually succeed, but she's willing to go along with it until it crashes and burns. "Oh, that sounds wonderful!"

Tsuna, standing off to the side while Kyoko and Haru coo and ahh over the upcoming wedding, looks like he's going to be sick.

 **Poison**

And what do you know? She's right, as usual.

Noriko sneaks a bite from the untouched wedding cake before jumping back as it turns to poison right in front of her. Bianchi is truly _furious_ at the farce.

Reborn merely looks smug that he has forced Bianchi to manifest the most advanced skill of Poison Cooking possible.

 **Festival**

"This is nice," Tsuna mumbles, his head resting on Noriko's lap as she combs her fingers through his hair. This year's summer festival was a bit action-filled, but the fireworks were beautiful as always.

Noriko laughs and looks around. Kyoya's sitting against a tree a few feet away from the rest of the group, dozing quietly. Ryohei's passed out next to Kyoko, who chatters quietly with Haru over a cake shop she found yesterday.

Not far away slumbers I-Pin and Lambo, the two children curled up into each other. Hayato and Takeshi are sitting to Noriko's left, arguing in low voices over this and that. Reborn is asleep with his eyes open to her right.

But _he_ is still missing.


	16. Mist

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Mist**

 _This is how the Mist rages._

 **Bodies**

"There have been some attacks on prefects," Takeshi tells her, brow furrowed and a serious look in his eyes. "Hibari's absolutely furious."

Noriko's silent for a long moment, staring out the window to the wide blue sky. "Only Disciplinary Committee members?" That sounds...suspicious.

"Yeah. Everyone's nervous."

Noriko hesitates. "Has there been anything...strange about these attacks?"

"Nah. Though..." He frowns thoughtfully. "I hear a lot of them are missing their teeth for some reason."

"...I see."

 **Convicts**

It takes Noriko three days longer than Reborn expected to confront him.

"What's going on?" she demands during a lull when Tsuna is busy with the children and Nana is making dinner. There's no hint of the radiant smile he is used to seeing on her lips, only pure, clear focus in those blue-grey eyes.

He sips at his coffee indolently, making no attempt at pretending he is not blatantly trying to provoke her with his disregard for her opinions and emotions. However, when she doesn't react in the slightest, he isn't surprised.

Contrary to Tsuna's beliefs that Noriko is crazy reckless, Reborn has since observed that the blonde's self-control is incredible. She merely chooses to induce trouble the majority of the time, with full knowledge of the consequences.

Rather similar to Reborn's tactics, in fact. He wonders if she has been conditioning Tsuna to be familiar with the unusual, insane, and dangerous since they first met, as that is his current goal, albeit turned up to eleven.

"There's a group of escaped convicts in town," he says at last, as casual as if they are talking about the weather. "They're probably the ones responsible for the incidents occurring."

Reborn can all but see Noriko absorb that information, tease out all the hidden nuances, and then turn to plans and schemes for how to use it. This calculating side of her is interesting, especially since he sees it so infrequently.

Most of the time, Noriko seems happy to just go along with the flow, after all. He would suspect her of being a Rain if she doesn't also inherently display a Sun's enthusiasm and a Cloud's edge. But now...

Now things are different, for Tsuna is in true danger.

"Names?" she inquires, the manipulative glint fading away into something cool and calm, utterly implacable, as if she has resolved herself to this conflict and accepted whatever resolution there may be.

He muses on the good sense of telling someone as disturbingly unpredictable as she is of this information. "...Rokudo Mukuro. Joshima Ken. Kakimoto Chikusa."

 **Insult**

Noriko was willing to overlook the attacks on the prefects, on the students of Namimori Middle even if Kyoya wasn't.

She isn't so willing to overlook the attack on Ryohei. She also isn't the only one.

There is a spark of orange in Tsuna's eyes even as he fusses over the boxer. Hayato fingers his dynamite erratically, while Takeshi's smile is strained. Lambo is quiet for once, and Kyoya...

"No, Hibari-san," Tsuna says, the first time he has ever attempted to stand up to the Cloud on anything. He doesn't even hesitate before stepping in front of the coldly furious prefect. "If we're going, we're going together."

Kyoya narrows his eyes, his glare both sharp and shrewd. "Don't think you can order me around, omnivore," he warns, his grip on his tonfas white-knuckled, the bloodlust crackling from his form near tangible. "I hate crowding."

"We won't be crowding," Tsuna responds, standing tall and straight, gaze clear and confident, Hayato and Takeshi to his left and right, and Noriko half-expects an orange flame to burst into being on his forehead. "We'll be hunting."

The smirk that spreads on Kyoya's lips could make the devil tremble and beg for mercy, the heavy-lidded look he gifts Tsuna with oddly proud and grudgingly respectful. "Now you understand, little carnivore," he purrs.

 **Bystander**

Noriko has done her best to prepare her family for this. She has done her best to expose her Sky and his Elements to peril and threat, pushed at them to train and prepare, encouraged the bonds that have developed.

But now, as they navigate the treacherous battlefield of Kokuyo Land, while Takeshi wrestles with Ken, while Bianchi poisons M.M., while Kyoya takes out Birds, while Tsuna battles Lancia -

Noriko cannot assist. She cannot help, cannot interfere.

She is the _Judge_.

Noriko watches Tsuna fall to the ground and suddenly remembers why Cynthia felt such self-loathing at times.

"Why won't you help?" Reborn asks her, night black eyes sly and dark.

"I can't," Noriko replies simply and digs her fingernails into her palms.

 **Demon**

Noriko almost feels physically ill when she first meets Rokudo Mukuro.

Kami-sama. That hairstyle. That smirk. That _laugh_.

This is nearly worse than seeing Tsuna for the first time. Certainly worse than encountering the rest of the Guardians...combined.

She doesn't know what to feel. She doesn't know what she should feel.

Hayato and Bianchi are preoccupied with fending off Ken and Chikusa. Takeshi was knocked out back in the fight with Lancia. Reborn's hands are tied, and so are Noriko's.

It's Tsuna and Kyoya who take Mukuro on.

 **Capture**

They win, even when Mukuro pulls out the ability of possession at the last minute. Kyoya ends up battered and unconscious on the floor, and Tsuna is pushing the limits of even the Rebuke Bullet, but they _win_.

The gloves...the gloves are a nice touch.

If Noriko squints just a little, she can almost see...

Tsuna refuses to kill Mukuro, as she expected. Giotto never hated Daemon as he should either.

But then the Vindice come for them.

And Noriko cannot help but step forward.


	17. Mukuro

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Mukuro**

 _This is how the moonlight shines through the mist._

 **Notice**

Mukuro doesn't spare a second of thought on Reiki Noriko in the beginning. He sees no reason to. For all that Fuuta de la Stella has ranked her as the number one most powerful student in Namimori Middle, he has also ranked her as the least likely to fight.

Seeing as the petite girl with platinum hair and blue-grey eyes does nothing the entire time while her friends fight his pawns, Mukuro is inclined to agree with Fuuta, right up until said girl intervenes when the Vindice arrive to recapture them.

Then, Mukuro notices how her eyes _burn_ , not wholly different from the resolve shining in the Vongola Decimo's orange eyes, and wonders how he dismissed her so easily as a threat.

 **Bargain**

It's peculiar how Reiki Noriko brushes off the Sun Arcobaleno's warnings not to get involved, acknowledges the Vongola Decimo's anxious glances but ignores them, to lock gazes with the Vindice, when by all rights she should be cowering in a corner.

"Under the Gestione Accord," she says, a confusing echo of power in her silvery voice, "I hereby proclaim Rokudo Mukuro and his associates above the jurisdiction of the Vindice."

Mukuro doesn't understand. He has vast knowledge of the mafia world despite his hatred for it, but this document is a new one. And, curiously, from the frown on Reborn's face and the tilt of Tsunayoshi's head, they do not know it either.

Ah, but the Vindice do, for the one in front, the one that holds the chains, stiffens slightly. The temperature seems to drop. "Only one person should know of that treatise," he whispers with dark menace. "Who are you?"

"My name is Reiki Noriko," she responds, not answering the question at all. "Let them _go_ , Vindice."

A chain goes shooting by her head, burrowing in the wall next to her and cutting off a few strands of hair as pale as moonlight. The Sun Arcobaleno goes predatory still while the Vongola Decimo squeaks, eyes widening.

In contrast, the girl challenging the most feared group in the mafia world doesn't even blink.

"...very well," the Vindice says. "But you must be aware that agreement will only earn Rokudo Mukuro's freedom once. When we come again, he will never leave Vendicare."

And then they are gone, melting back into the darkness to leave the three convicts on the ground.

The last thing Mukuro sees before succumbing to the pain of his wounds is Noriko hovering above him, gazing down at him with an indecipherable look in her eyes.

 **Reason**

"Why?" Mukuro asks immediately oncr he has Noriko alone, lounging nonchalantly on his couch.

After getting their wounds bandaged up by the Vongola Medical Team, they have been left alone for the most part, but the Vongola Decimo and his little group of friends come around every few days, bringing groceries and what-not.

It's honestly disgusting how earnest Tsunayoshi can be. Does the brunet expect him to turn _nice_ and _good_ simply because Mukuro was defeated once? That only means he will have to plan out his second attempt better.

(Even if it means that the warmth in those brownish orange eyes will be lost, even if the acceptance and kindness the Vongola Decimo gives out without thought will be gone. Even so.)

But this is the first time Noriko has returned to Kokuyo Land after successfully wrenching Mukuro, Ken, and Chikusa from the impressive claws of the Vindice without so much a decent fight.

Mukuro _still_ has no knowledge of the Accord she named, though not because lack of effort.

Granted, Tsunayoshi and his minions are here as well, along with the Sun Arcobaleno, but they have consented - reluctantly - to give the two privacy.

No doubt Ken, Chikusa, and M.M. are doing their best to distract the fools from listening in. It doesn't matter; the layer of illusion Mukuro has raised will keep this conversation known only to its two participants.

Noriko sits on the couch opposite of his, legs crossed and hands folded. Her response takes a long time coming, slate blue eyes focused on some obscure point outside the window.

"You remind me of someone I knew," she says simply, and he isn't at all sure of what to think of the weary poignancy in her voice or the past tense she uses.

"Is it a good or bad memory?" he asks instead of the questions rebounding inside of his mind and just barely catches her flinch, the tightening of her mouth.

"Both," Noriko says with a note of finality and rises to her feet. Mukuro does not make the mistake of preventing her from leaving, but after she closes her hand over the doorknob, she turns to give him a sharp look.

"Don't stay here, Mukuro," she warns evenly. "Travel a bit. Wander. Bring your friends with you. The Vindice will be keeping an eye on you."

Then, she is gone in a flutter of white-black silk and almost-silver hair.

 **Rescue**

Mukuro is casually walking down the sidewalk, Ken and Chikusa off shopping while M.M. handles the hotel, when he sees the truck barreling down the road, heading straight for a girl whose eyes are fixed on the ground, unknowing.

But when she looks up, there is only resignation on her face.

Mukuro does not know why he does it, but he reaches out with his illusions and effortlessly upends the truck.

 _My name is Nagi_ , the girl says quietly, pleadingly. _Please, t_ _ake me with you._

He only needs to take one look at Nagi's family, a selfish mother, a cold father, to agree, though the vast Mist Flames that hum in her core help convince him as well.

And so Nagi becomes Mukuro's, though he promptly renames her Dokuro Chrome.


	18. Eclipse

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Eclipse**

 _This is how they deal._

 **Distant**

"Looks like Noriko's at it again, huh?" Takeshi laughs, but it's strained, matching the worry in his gaze. Noriko, currently seated on the very edge of the school rooftop, legs dangling over the long drop, is perfectly oblivious.

"Yeah..." Tsuna sighs, worrying his bottom lip with his teeth. This is bad. He's never quite seen Nori so out of it.

Hayato glances between them and then at Noriko, brow furrowed. "Juudaime? I'm sorry, I don't understand..." All he knows is that when he woke up after the fight, she was in this state and their enemies were apparently home free.

"Nori-chan gets like this in an Eclipse,'" Tsuna explains, carefully not taking his eyes of her even though Kyoya is lounging on the fence only five feet away. "It's usually not so bad though..."

"An 'eclipse,' Dame-Tsuna?" Reborn echoes questioningly, appearing out of nowhere to jump onto Takeshi's shoulder. It's a testament to how worried Tsuna is when he doesn't even jump at the surprise entrance.

"Eclipse," Tsuna confirms with a heavy exhale, fingers curling into fists. "I can't really explain it, but when there's a Judgment, Nori-chan just...goes away for a while."

 **Argument**

The first time Tsuna witnesses Noriko like that is back in third grade, when Tsuna and Takeshi get in a fight. He doesn't even remember what they were arguing over, but he remembers how bad it was.

Tsuna's in tears, Takeshi's outright frowning, and they're actually shouting at each other, throwing hurtful accusations, when Noriko steps forward without any warning, though she'd stayed out of the argument the entire time before.

They turn to her in sync, ready to either direct their anger at her or beg her to make things right again but go motionless when they see the eerily blank expression on her face, the dispassionate look in eyes they are accustomed to seeing alight with emotion.

 _Enough,_ Noriko says, voice utterly apathetic and yet resolute as concrete, _This argument is_ over. _There is no point to continuing it when both participants are blinded by emotion, right and wrong in equal measures._

And there is a weight to her words, such an absolute conclusion, that neither Tsuna nor Takeshi can bring themselves to protest. It is the thud of a judge's gavel, the signed signature on a contrast, the final judgment passed.

Unchangeable. Immutable. Permanent.

Then, she wanders off, that blank, vacant expression still on her face, and they unanimously agree to let go of their anger and pain and confusion to worry about her instead.

Noriko's like that for the next three hours before slowly rousing enough to smile faintly at Takeshi and reassure Tsuna that she's alright. _It'll happen again_ , she tells them. _Don't worry. I'll come back._

But Tsuna can't help but worry, especially when the Eclipse lasts longer and longer after each time.

 **Remote**

It's been a long time since she was in such a state, Noriko thinks to herself, with all of the aloof distance that comes from contemplating a disaster that happened four thousand years ago or thinking of a comet hitting the earth in another eon.

Abstract. Faraway. Remote.

This may as well not be happening to her. To Noriko. Someone off on the other side of the planet perhaps. Not someone she knows, not someone she cares about. Merely...there.

It is as if there is a chasm the length of eternity separating her from the rest of the world. No one can cross it, not her friends, not her family, not even herself. She's pressing her hands against a thick glass wall, and sound is muffled on her side, light distorted until it's shadow.

The last time Noriko felt such an immense vacuum, she wasn't Noriko. She was Cynthia, the head of the Cervello, the Vongola Adviser, the Judge. Back then...back then, the one on trial was Simon Cozarto.

It hadn't mattered that he was Giotto's friend. It hadn't mattered that he was a good man. It hadn't mattered that Cozarto had been coming to their aid.

All that mattered were the facts, the deeds, the outcome.

To be the Judge, to be the Arbiter, there cannot be bias. There cannot be prejudice, favoritism, _emotions_.

Only the Verdict.

That is why Judgments are made in the grip of an Eclipse.

It was, in the end, why Cynthia had been informal allies with the Vindice. They understood each other as no one else in this world could.

The Gestione Accord was the product of this uneasy coalition.

And that Vindice was right. Only one person - Cervello Cynthia - should have known about that Accord, for after she had died, it had been buried in time.

The sole problem is that Cynthia has been reincarnated into Noriko.

 **Comparison**

Once, Giotto had compared this state to Hyper Dying Will Mode. Upon hearing him describe it, the lack of hesitation, the utter purpose, Cynthia had concluded that it was similar, but not the same.

There are still emotions in Hyper Dying Will Mode, after all.

Giotto had been the one who named this phase as "the Lunar Arbiter's Eclipse."

 **Awareness**

It isn't as if Noriko is unconditionally cut off from the world around her. She knows her family is worried. She _knows_.

She simply does not understand why this is important.

There is no problem. The decision has been reached, the bargain struck. Food and sleep are unnecessary since her body can sustain itself for another two weeks with no immense difficulties.

Why are they hovering around her? There is no reason. There is no dispute, no argument, no battle.

In the Eclipse, Noriko _lives_ for the Judgment.

It is as simple, and as complicated, as that.


	19. Aftermath

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Aftermath**

 _This is how they do their best._

 **Cope**

They all have their different ways of coping with Noriko when she's in one of her "moods."

 _Eclipse,_ she murmurs once when Hayato prompts her, gaze unfocused and unblinking. _It's called an Eclipse._

Tsuna is the one who fusses. He's the one who's seen this happen the most; he's the one who knows how bad it can get from that one time Noriko showed up at his house, not having eaten or slept for three days.

The Sky asks his mother to prepare extra bento and pesters his Moon until she's eaten half of it before dragging her off to sleep, normally at either Takeshi or Kyoya's place, because if they leave her on her own, she definitely won't.

Takeshi is the one who puts everyone's worries at rest. He's the one who diffuses the tense atmosphere with laughs and jokes; he's the one who keeps the conversation flowing and keeps them all from panicking.

The Rain cheerfully accepts the Moon into his house when Tsuna coaxes her to his doorstep, his father perceptive enough not to question things while she is half-persuaded, half-forced to go to bed when the time comes.

Kyoya is the who keeps an eye on her. He's the one who makes certain she doesn't absently fall off the rooftop one day; he's the one who thwarts the herbivores at school from attempting to disturb her because that will not end well.

The Cloud finds the herbivores under his protection annoying at best and worthy of being bitten to death at worst, but the one and only time a herbivore manages to attack the Moon in an Eclipse, he barely gets away with his life.

Ryohei is the one who looks after her. He's the only one in their family with a little sibling her age; he's the one who goes after the fools and idiots who badmouth her behind their backs and teaches them never to do it again.

The Sun lets the Moon sit nearby during his boxing sessions and whatever else he may be doing at the time, basking in the energy and sunlight he radiates and reflecting it back to him, albeit with little actually absorbed.

They grit their teeth, clench their fists, and get by until Noriko comes back to them.

 **Rules**

Hayato and Lambo are both new to this, but they catch on quickly to the three rules that are firmly and religiously followed regarding Eclipses.

The first rule is that if possible, an Eclipse should always be avoided to the best of their abilities.

The second rule is that under no circumstances should an Eclipse be triggered by anyone in their family.

The third rule is that should there be an Eclipse regardless, all fighting, casual or not, will be halted until it's over.

Violence, glares, screaming, and guilt trips may or may not be used to enforce these rules.

 **Support**

Eventually, the newcomers learn that it's not just because Noriko in that state is terrifying and alarming and, quite frankly, capable of scaring the shit out of anyone who cares for the strange, vivacious girl in the slightest.

Rather, it is because they are family and when someone in the family is injured or otherwise out of commission, the rest of the family bands together until the crisis is over.

(It's this mindset, the mindset that Noriko's been encouraging and inciting since the very start, that ultimately earns Xanxus' respect, but that's neither here nor now.)

To the others, an Eclipse is an expected and disliked event, but so is Tsuna's tendency to attract trouble, Takeshi's bouts of depression, Kyoya's brutal bloodthirstiness, Ryohei's extreme injuries, Hayato's bone-deep insecurity, and Lambo's childish vulnerability.

Everyone knows it. It's nothing special, nothing _abnormal_. They don't treat it as anything more difficulty than what they usually have to face. It's not the apocalypse, not like they make it out as if something's dreadfully wrong.

The Eclipses are just a quirk of Noriko's. Tsuna's halfway expecting it to become her signature, now that the role of welcoming chaos and insanity has gone to Reborn.

When it comes, whatever "it" might be, they'll deal with it until their family is okay once more, and when it's over, normalcy resumes as if nothing earth-shattering has happened.

That is their version of family.

 **Length**

This time, with a Judgment more severe than anything that has happened in their group so far, the Eclipse lasts an entire week. By the end of that week, more than a few members of their family are twitchy and agitated.

But just as it may change, just as it may vanish briefly, the Moon always comes back, luminous and beautiful.

A week after she passes her judgment on Rokudo Mukuro, Noriko opens her eyes and blinks, suddenly cognizant that she is in Takeshi's house. The numbness and the detachment are gone, leaving behind a content that tugs at her lips.

Giving in to the urge to smile widely, Noriko bounces out of the guest bedroom and into Takeshi's room on light feet. "Good morning!" she sings, throwing open the curtains to let in the sunlight.

Takeshi groans, but when he opens his eyes, she does not miss the relieved glint or the bright grin on his face. "Noriiiii! Come on, it's too early to get up! We don't even have school today!"

She laughs, giddy with the renewed feeling of _being_ _alive._ Becoming the Arbiter is strangely like dying, hovering in that place between life and death, full of coldness and disinterest. It's..disturbing, now that she can think again.

"Who cares? Let's go find Tsuna! Takeshi, get up!"


	20. Explanations

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Explanations**

 _This is why._

 **Reasons**

It doesn't take Reborn long to confront Noriko after everyone finishes expressing their relief that she's back to normal. All in their own special ways, of course.

Kyoya, in particular, throws a tonfa at her head and nods approvingly when she catches it, twirls the weapon, and throws it right back.

"You've got some explaining to do," the baby hitman says when they are all up on the rooftop for lunch. Tsuna freezes even as Hayato and Takeshi stop arguing to tune in to the conversation. Ryohei is off doing club stuff, but Kyoya opens his eyes from where he's leaning against the wall several meters away.

Noriko merely blinks and swallows down her bite of food before saying, "Because of Mukuro, I suppose?" Surprisingly, or unsurprisingly, no one in her family has actually objected to what she has done, especially with Tsuna backing her.

Then again, Hayato would never argue with Tsuna, Takeshi and Ryohei are naturally forgiving, and Kyoya probably just wants a rematch against Mukuro.

"That's right," Reborn says, pinning demanding eyes on her. Personally, Noriko thinks that if he wanted to intimidate her, he should have waited until they were alone...although she has been avoiding him recently. "Talk."

"What do you want me to say?" she asks, deliberately obtuse because what else can she say? She isn't even so sure she knows the answers to his questions herself. He'll have to be a bit more specific if he wants something.

 **Wordless**

For example, how can Noriko possibly describe her convoluted feelings upon hearing of the inhumane torture and experimentation Mukuro went through at the hands of the damned Estraneo Famiglia?

Of the guilt, of the horror, of the _turmoil_ of realizing that he has been suffering all this time while she has been placing the burden of a betrayal several hundred years past on his shoulders?

How can she put into words what seeing the Mist trying to defeat and hurt Tsuna, trying to _possess_ him with those accursed abilities, did to her?

How can she make them understand the terrible mixture of wrongness and rightness in seeing the Sky, with those gloves and those eyes and that beautiful _Flame,_ beat Mukuro down?

How can she say aloud the agonized screams that built in her heart when the Vindice - and _oh_ , she knows their methods, their punishments all too well - came and chained Mukuro, prepared to pull him away?

How can Noriko tell Reborn the way that pleading look from Tsuna at the very, very end, when he finally realized what would happen to the convicts, shook her to the core, prompted her to intervene despite the consequences?

(How can Cynthia convey the memories that had flooded their minds, of a smirking, devoted man with a beautiful, idealistic woman on his arm, of the love that had thrummed between them until it was drowned in blood?)

 **Secret**

"Why did you help Rokudo Mukuro?" Reborn fires off without delay,

"Tsuna wanted me to, didn't he?" Noriko replies innocently, still rather slaphappy from her recent foray into Judgment.

Reborn's eyes narrow and his focus swiftly switches to the paling boy. "Is this true, Dame-Tsuna?"

Tsuna looks like he wants the ground to open up and swallow him whole, but manages a "H-Hai!"

"...humph. What's the Gestione Accord?" Reborn grumbles, evidently annoyed that that route of interrogation is cut off. The hitman's well aware of Noriko's devotion to Tsuna, after all, and it sounds like a valid reason coming from her.

And it is. Most people aren't aware of it, but Noriko rarely lies. Merely misdirects.

She wouldn't be a very credible Judge if she lied, now would she?

Noriko smiles guilelessly, refusing to flinch back. "Oh, that's a document my great-great-great-great grandmother left for my family. I found it in the attic one day, but Kaa-chan burned it in an accident a while back. Useful, neh?"

Reborn appears to be two seconds away from producing a Leon-hammer and slamming it onto her head, but there's a thoughtful glint to his eyes. "And this Gestione Accord pertains to the Vindice how?"

At that, her smile sharpens and she leans forward slightly. "Now, that...is a family secret."

 **Spar**

Reborn's still seething when they gather up the rooftop again, this time after school.

He _hates_ not knowing something, much less something that involves his job - currently, Tsuna - but no matter how much he continued to pester her at lunch, Noriko refused to say anything more on the Gestione Accord.

Reborn very much doubts it's a "family secret" since Reiki Yoshio and Reiki Kiku know nothing about the Mafia, but he can't exactly accuse Noriko of lying without any evidence. It really doesn't help that after an Eclipse, everyone seems to be notoriously protective of Noriko and Tsuna eventually cut in to tell Reborn that maybe, please, stop interrogating his friend... _now_.

Tsuna promptly earned himself an unimpressed kick to the head because while growing a spine is a good thing, turning it on Reborn is bad, but that doesn't change the fact that Reborn has honestly learned nothing important from that little session.

And that seriously pisses him off.

As a result, when it comes time for Noriko and Kyoya to engage in their spar, with the rest of the Famiglia hanging around to watch from a safe distance, Reborn is all but mentally urging the prefect to deal in some painful blows.

He's always been a somewhat vindictive person, as many, many of his associates can account to.

Sadly, Reborn doesn't get his wish. However, what he does get is something very intriguing and well worth the time and effort he's spent in vain on trying to unravel the mystery that is Reiki Noriko.


	21. Conflicts

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Conflicts**

 _This is how the battles start._

 **Beginnings**

"Juudaime? How did this start?" Hayato questions in a low tone as Noriko and Kyoya take their positions on the opposite sides of the school rooftop, the tension rising steadily.

"Ah, that's a funny story, actually," Takeshi answers with a laugh, ignoring Hayato's mutter of how he wasn't talking to _him_. "See, for some reason, Nori got it into her head that we should all be training sometime in fourth grade."

"Y-Yeah. And, well, what Nori-chan wants, Nori-chan gets," Tsuna says with a rueful smile that holds traces of many, many past misadventures. "So, Nori-chan struck a bargain with Hibari-san, or something. It's kinda blurry."

"Nori's like that," Takeshi agrees cheerfully, watching the two fighters eyeball each other closely. "From what I got, the basic gist of the deal was that Hibari would help train us and in return we would each fight Hibari once per month."

"I think Nori-chan also snuck in some clause about Hibari-san not attacking us except for training or sparring," Tsuna confesses, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "I still don't know how she got him to say yes."

Takeshi shrugs carelessly, gaze sharpening as the fight begins with a charge from Kyoya, the tonfa smashing into the ground where Noriko was standing. "It's Nori."

 **Technique**

This is Reborn's first time seeing Noriko fight, because in the past, when it came time for her monthly spar, she would always drag Kyoya out to somewhere in the middle of nowhere and _away_ from Reborn's line of sight.

It doesn't help that _coincidentally,_ there would be some sort of incident in Namimori that Reborn would inevitably need to take care of. He's starting to think the blonde has more influence than he'd initially given her credit for.

To make matters worse, Reborn still has no clue what type of Flames Noriko possess, as his every attempt to shoot her with a Dying Will Bullet ends with chaos and no valid conclusion. It's ridiculously frustrating.

And, annoyingly, the evasions - because his pride needs to know she _has_ to be evading his bullets on purpose - are near seamless, deflecting any suspicion but his own.

But, back to the match at hand, the one and only line running through Reborn's mind as he watches Kyoya and Noriko duke it out is: _Why did she say she couldn't interfere in the fights with Rokudo Mukuro and his associates?_

Because, honest to Kami-sama, the girl fighting the demon prefect is more than capable of knocking out those small fry.

While Kyoya has his pair of tonfa, Noriko doesn't use a weapon at all. She twirls and ducks and weaves beneath his blows with effortless grace, laughs and smiles without a care as she slips right underneath his guard.

It's like she's not fighting at all. It's like she's reminiscing an old memory instead.

Noriko has a highly indirect fighting style, vastly dissimilar to Kyoya's but so much more lethal, visible only to his experienced eyes...and perhaps Tsuna's.

While the prefect hits hard and brutal, the blonde hits soft and light. However, while Kyoya is mostly indiscriminate on aim, Noriko notably goes for the important spots: the neck, the arms, the legs, the head. Permanent wounds.

Fatal.

Of course, Noriko pulls back before each hit to prevent heavy injury, but Reborn sees and wonders.

The way the two clash could be choreographed; they are so very used to each other's fighting styles. And they are well-suited to one another, to the point that Reborn can see why Kyoya agreed to her conditions despite his aloofness.

Sparring partners this in sync are hard to come by and more than worth it.

 **Stirring**

It happens after their spar ends in another stalemate.

Kyoya's certainly getting better, not that she had expected anything less. Hayato and Takeshi are progressing at their own rates, though she's loathe to convince the dark-haired boy to take up the sword just yet, and Ryohei remains very extreme in his training.

And Lambo...is just a child. She's not at all sure what to do about that, but the Ten Year Bazooka will doubtlessly be an asset. Mukuro is even worse. It's difficult to even stay in the same room with the former criminal, although it's not any better with him out of Namimori.

Noriko's smile fades even as her friends continue arguing, bantering, or threatening, whatever it is that they're doing. The hairs on the back of her neck stand up and she turns her gaze to the cloudless blue sky, seemingly harmless.

She knows better. She has felt this feeling before.

Something...something is coming.

And it's dangerous.

 **Disaster**

Unfortunately, she's right.

Noriko is writing in her log when the call comes to inform her of the latest disaster regarding the Vongola. She puts her pen down and flips open her cell phone, barely managing to get out a greeting out before Tsuna is talking.

She stays silent while he babbles about silver-haired swordsmen and a bunch of rings and an overwhelming fight that knocked out Hayato and Takeshi and would have been an even bigger disaster had Dino not arrived.

Huh. What do you know? That clumsy, whip-toting baby boss is good for something after all, other than causing mayhem with that pet turtle of his.

"Tsuna," Noriko says when Tsuna pauses to gasp in a breath. " _Tsuna_."

Tsuna hesitates, probably near tears by this point. "Nori-chan...?"

"Calm down," she orders simply. "Where are you?"

"At home," comes the prompt, shaky answer.

"Stay there," Noriko says, already pulling on a sweater and halfway out the door. "I'll be there in five minutes."


	22. Foundation

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Foundation**

 _This is how the Moon soothes the Sky._

 **Comforting**

Tsuna paces in his bedroom, hands curled into fists and eyes stinging. He doesn't even really notice the many bruises and aches his body attempts to inform him of, mind on the remembered scene of both Hayato and Takeshi on the ground, left to the mercy of Squerbi Squalo's blade -

It makes him want to throw up.

What's with this entire ring business anyway!? Tsuna doesn't want to become a mafia boss, definitely doesn't want to go down that route of blood and sin and betrayal. And...And it was okay, even with Reborn kicking him into things he didn't want to get into, it was okay because his friends were on his side.

But now, even with his repeated denials of the position of Vongola Decimo, his friends are getting hurt, and that is _not_ okay.

Even worse, his idiot, no-good father's back in town...and asleep in the living room after eating the food supplies that were meant to last them for a week, getting the kids drunk, trekking mud all throughout the house, and making his mother wash a load of his clothes.

Tsuna wonders what horrific deed he did in his past life to get this for his current life.

Seriously, what in the world did he do!?

 _Clack!_

Tsuna jerks his head up sharply at the sound and looks around warily, half-expecting Reborn to pop up out of nowhere. But, no, he doesn't see any sign of the baby hitman, so what -

 _Clack! Clack! Clack!_

This time, he realizes it's stones being thrown at his window and breathes a sigh of relief. Scrambling over, Tsuna wrenches open his window and almost gets knocked back by a stone to the forehead. "N-Nori-chan!"

His best friend stands casually in his backyard, as if this is an everyday occasion. Then again, she _has_ pulled stunts like this before, normally in the dead of night. Noriko's smile is a welcome sight. "Hey, Tsuna. Come on down."

Tsuna doesn't hesitate before clambering down, having done this several times before. As soon as he's safely on the ground, he's being enveloped in a tight hug that smells of lavender and vanilla, comfort and home and protection.

He's shaking before he knows it, everything that's happened in the past few hours slamming home hard. Tsuna hugs Noriko back desperately, biting his lip against the tears pushing at his control. Not here, not here - !

As if she's a mind reader like Reborn, Noriko picks that moment to pull back and examine his face. Tsuna's not sure what she sees, but she nods like he's said everything that needs to be said. "Come on," she says and pulls at his hand.

Tsuna's not sure where they're going, but he follows her anyway.

(He never notices the pair of black eyes that observe them closely on their way out, but she does.)

 **Constant**

For as long as Tsuna can remember, Nori's been a constant in his life.

They met in kindergarten, and they've been best friends ever since. Tsuna despairs more often than not of the situations that Nori pulls him into, but she always gets them out of those situations too, and he never really gets hurt.

Sorta like Reborn, really, but his tutor doesn't mind him getting bruised and battered before cutting in.

Even when Nori just casually pulls in other people - but they stay for Tsuna, something he never notices - she always stays. Even when Nana occasionally calls him useless and Iemitsu wanders in and out - mostly out - of their lives, Nori always stays.

Is it any wonder that when he needs help, an anchor, Tsuna always, always calls Nori first?

"You said Hayato-kun and Takeshi-kun were upset?" Noriko asks when they are two blocks away from his house, going someplace his addled mind hasn't caught on to yet.

Tsuna bites his bottom lip, unable to get over the terror of seeing his friends, his _family_ , so close to death, to the sharp edge of a sword. "Y-Yeah. Th-They didn't do so well with the enemy, so..."

Noriko just nods and continues tugging him along as the setting sun paints crimson streaks across the sky, as red as the blood that had spurted from that unknown boy's small, fragile body, now in the hospital.

It's four blocks later when Tsuna finally speaks up. "Nori-chan? Where are we going?"

"Hmm...we're going to Hibari-san's," she says absently, heading into a section of the town that he's never been to before.

He blinks, surprised, before tilting his head to the side. Kyoya's not nearly as scary as he was before Noriko caught his interest, and in doing so, pulled Tsuna onto the prefect's radar, but that doesn't mean Kyoya isn't scary strong.

"Are you sure he won't bite us to death for insolence?" Tsuna asks and receives a low laugh, silver and sweet. The final tense inch of his shoulders relax despite the eminent danger by tonfa ahead.

"I don't think so," Noriko says, which really isn't as concrete as he might like it to be. Ten minutes later, they are standing in front of a large traditional Japanese house that Tsuna privately thinks fits the prefect very much.

Noriko lifts her hand and knocks on the door once, concise and precise. Not a minute later, Kyoya pulls the door open and stares at them with sharp grey eyes. "What do you want?" he demands flatly.

"Something happened," she says, smile unfaltering. "You've heard about the attack in the shopping center?"

Kyoya's clearly unimpressed. "Get to the point, Reiki."

"Can we please stay over for the night?"


	23. Rings

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Rings**

 _This is how the Vongola Rings come back to them._

 **Arrival**

Even Noriko is somewhat surprised when, after glaring at them for a full minute - she can _feel_ Tsuna quivering on the inside, though he retains his composure well on the outside - Kyoya drags them into his house.

Such an unpredictable Cloud. She would have taken Tsuna back to her own house had he refused them, but this is much better.

After giving Tsuna a once-over, those perceptive eyes no doubt catching how shaky and upset he is at the moment, Kyoya shoves him into a bathroom, retrieves an extra set of clothes, and informs Tsuna that he had better be clean when he gets out.

Then, Kyoya turns to Noriko.

 **Return**

She's in her school uniform, so, although his eye twitches, she supposes he finds that satisfactory, because he turns on his heel and leads her to the sitting room.

There's a pot of tea already on the table, and she sinks into the zabuton with a sigh, cuddling the warmth of the cup he pours for her close.

He sits across from her and lets the seconds tick by while they savor the tea, the sound of running water faint. When the thud of his teacup on the table sounds at last, ten minutes have passed. "What happened?"

"A very dangerous person came," she says quietly, thinking back to what she managed to make out from Tsuna's ranting. "He hurt Hayato-kun and Takeshi-kun...and would have killed Tsuna, I imagine, if there wasn't help."

Kyoya's eyes narrow, face darkening. But his words, when they come, are calm. "Who and why?"

"Squerbi Squalo," Noriko says, taking a long sip of her tea. "As for why...they came for the rings."

Kyoya goes very, very still and rises to his feet. He leaves the room and returns two minutes later to reclaim his seat. When he opens his hand, there is a half-ring on a chain resting on his palm. "This?"

Noriko mirrors his earlier motionlessness for a moment, eyes latching onto the powerful relic, before lifting a hand cautiously. He lets her take the ring from his hand, cup it in hers.

It looks...different. Not quite the same as the one Alaude wore, but hadn't Giotto said he would seal the Vongola Rings' true power after Daemon's betrayal? And the power this ring radiates, even with just a half of a whole...

"Yes," Noriko murmurs, fighting not to tremble at the oh so familiar feeling of Alaude's Cloud Flames. "Yes, they came for this...and they'll come again."

 **Report**

When Tsuna leaves the bathroom in a slightly too big yukata, hair wet and mildly less gravity-defying as usual, he pads to the sitting room and finds Kyoya and Noriko silently drinking tea, not a word spoken between them.

He lingers at the doorway uncertainly. Tsuna's uncomfortable like he always is when he comes across his best friend with someone else, _just_ someone else, because it's then that she becomes someone he doesn't entirely know.

It's kinda weird because everyone does what Noriko does to a certain point. Tsuna doesn't act the same with Hayato as he does with Takeshi, so he knows - it's just that Noriko's turned it into an art form.

When she's with Kyoya, for one, she goes quiet, all that exuberance fading away into calm and peace.

Even with just one more person here, it wouldn't be so... _extreme_ , to borrow Ryohei's catchphrase, but there's only Kyoya and Noriko, so the quiet is a little suffocating, especially since she's the utter chatterbox when with Takeshi.

But she's still Nori, when all is said and done, and when she looks up and spots Tsuna, her smile is brilliant. "Tsuna, come sit," she says, pleased but voice softer than usual. "You have to tell us what happened, hmm?"

Tsuna manages a smile back and takes a seat between them under Kyoya's baleful gaze. "Y-Yeah, I guess so," he says, taking a too big gulp of his tea and almost burning his mouth on the searing liquid.

"Don't dawdle, omnivore," Kyoya commands.

Tsuna breathes a heavy sigh and does as told.

 **Stars**

Later, much later that night when Tsuna is fast asleep in Kyoya's guest bedroom - this place is huge; there are at least _fifteen_ guest bedrooms, most of which have never been used - Noriko sits on the veranda and stargazes.

Approximately five minutes later, there is the gentle sound of the sliding door and then cool appraisal. "I don't believe I've ever seen you so rattled," Kyoya muses, almost absently. "Are you that frightened of these herbivores?"

Noriko smiles faintly and traces a constellation with her eyes. "I'm not scared," she says truthfully, because, to be honest, these conflicts aren't much compared to the wars of several hundred years ago. "Just concerned."

"For who?" he asks, settling down gracefully a few feet away from her, close enough for her to feel his body heat, far away enough for him to be comfortable.

He has ever had a way of cutting right to the heart of the matter.

"For who indeed?" Noriko wonders.

 **Distribution**

The next morning, Tsuna makes breakfast. It's delicious, of course. And it's over breakfast that Noriko reaches over gently and places one half of the Sky Ring down on the table.

Tsuna freezes and pales, while Kyoya doesn't even blink and continues eating his food without pause. "...Nori-chan?" he whispers at last, sounding lost and halfway betrayed.

Silly boy. She's never been on any side but his.

"You don't have to take it, Tsuna," Noriko says softly, meeting his bewildered eyes squarely. "You don't have to, understand? This is your choice. Only yours."


	24. Decisions

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Decisions**

 _This is what they face._

 **Legacy**

Tsuna swallows hard and seems to calm down slightly. "...what happens if I don't take it?" he asks, staring at the sky ring as if at a ticking time bomb.

Noriko doesn't sugar coat it. "The position of Vongola Decimo will go to your rival," she says. "Depending on his constitution, he'll either leave us all alone or decide to kill everyone out of spite."

If it is possible to go any paler, then Tsuna does it. "K-Kill!?" he squeaks, plainly horrified. "Kill _everyone_!?"

Kyoya says curtly, "This is the _Mafia_ we're dealing with, omnivore. There's death at every step of the way."

"T-Then..." Tsuna's hand convulses on the table, breath coming quick and unsteady. "Then I..." He reaches out.

"Stop," she says, and he does so. "Don't be hasty, Tsuna. With this ring comes all of Vongola. Everything, you hear me? It means you are _going_ to become the Vongola Decimo, with everything that entails as one of the most influential famiglias in the mafia world."

Noriko pauses and locks gazes with him. "Are you ready for that? Hundreds of years, generations upon generations of blood and sin and crime? Because if you aren't...then don't you dare pick up that ring, Tsuna."

 **Guardians**

Tsuna withdraws his hand, clearly wavering. "I... What about the r-rest of the rings?" he blurts out in an obvious attempt to change the topic. "There were seven..."

Noriko glances at Kyoya, who sets his bowl on the table and silently draws out the chain from beneath his vest. The Ring of Cloud glints in the morning sunlight, harshly beautiful though it misses its counterpart.

"I don't u-understand," Tsuna whimpers, horrified gaze set on the purple ring. "N-Nori-chan, w-what...?"

She reaches across the table and settles her hand on his, drawing his attention. "Tsuna. If you do decide to take on the Sky Ring, then you won't be alone. By the traditions of Vongola, you'll have six Guardians with you."

"S-Six guardians?" he repeats unsteadily. She wonders whether it should make her happy or unhappy that he trusts her to the extent that he doesn't even ask her why she knows all of this when, by all rights, she shouldn't.

If nothing else, from the look Kyoya shoots her before going back to his breakfast, ring still hanging out, he's going to question her later.

"That's right," Noriko soothes. "There are seven Flames, you see?" Of the Sky, that is. "Sky, Storm, Rain, Cloud, Sun, Lightning, and Mist. You're Sky. Everyone else is one of the other six."

"Then..." Tsuna glances at Kyoya uncertainly, brow furrowing.

"If you really want to know about the Elements, it'd be better if you ask Reborn or Dino," she says, though it isn't as if they know more about Flames than she does. It's the opposite actually, but it'll be better in the long-term. "Each Element, each Guardian, has a...creed in the Vongola."

"Hibari-san was given the Cloud Ring," Noriko elaborates, resting her chopsticks back on her now empty plate and leaning back. "If I remember correctly, the role of the Cloud Guardian is: _to be the aloof, drifting Cloud that protects the Family from an independent standpoint, and whom nothing can ever bind._ "

She stops to smile wryly. "Sounds like Hibari-san to a fault, hmm?"

 _Just like Alaude..._

Kyoya smirks as if she has paid him a high compliment, and Tsuna flushes, still staring at the older boy like he thinks someone is pulling a joke on him and he isn't sure what the punchline is. "B-But, Hibari-san, y-you'd be w-willing to be m-my G-Guardian?" he stutters out nervously, half-hopeful, half-fearful.

The prefect raises an eyebrow and finishes off the last of his breakfast before answering briskly, "I refuse to let you regress to your herbivorous tendencies, omnivore. And I want to bite those herbivores to death."

Cue bloodthirsty smile.

Tsuna sweatdrops, but smiles back warmly. "If that's what Hibari-san wants." He looks at the Sky Ring again, thoughtful now. "Who are the others? There are five others, right? What about you, Nori-chan?"

 **Onlooker**

Noriko is silent for a long moment before rising to her seat to clean off their plates. "I won't be one of your Guardians, Tsuna," she says lightly as she dumps the everything into the dishwasher.

The words take at least half a minute to process in Tsuna's head.

"Hiiieee!? Why!?" Tsuna demands immediately, absolutely, positively outraged for perhaps one of the first true times in his life. Across from him, Kyoya makes not a sound, but glares directly at Noriko's back, grey eyes narrowing dangerously.

She begins to rummage through the cabinets and drawers, eventually pulling out a mixing bowl and some measuring tools, as well as flour, sugar, etc. It's not well-known, but Noriko's a great baker while Tsuna's a good cook.

It's even less well-known, but Nori only bakes when she's feeling very happy or very upset.

"I'm not suitable for the position," she says, moving to melt the butter and sift the sugar. What is she making? Cookies? "I'd make a terrible Guardian."

"That's not true!" Tsuna protests adamantly, rising to his feet so abruptly he almost trips over his own feet. "Who said that, Nori-chan!? That's just not true at all!" She's his _best friend_ , he can't think of anyone else _more_ suitable!

Noriko sighs and turns around at last to face him. "I'm the _Judge_ , Tsuna," she says, low and frustrated and hurt. "I _can't_ be a Guardian, not now, not ever. Not even if it's you."


	25. Pick

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Pick**

 _This is what they select._

 **Envy**

The truth is, Cynthia had always envied the Guardians for their position. It's tiring to be the Arbiter, to go through Eclipse after Eclipse, to always be the one left out and shunned.

For every person she saves, she condemns another to a blood chilling fate.

With Giotto, with his Guardians, Cynthia found a family, but even there, they shared a bond she couldn't touch, the connection of the Vongola Rings. She had envied them for that closeness, that attachment.

In some ways, that was why she couldn't understand Daemon's betrayal. Cynthia hadn't been able to comprehend someone _willingly_ throwing away the relationship she craved.

And now, even when Noriko is Tsuna's best friend, and he is hers, even when Noriko has been the close friend of most of the Elements since childhood…

She still cannot help but envy those who bear the Vongola Rings for what they have and what she never will.

 **Resolution**

Tsuna takes the Sky Ring and sets off to find Reborn.

He wants answers.

"Tsuna!~"

Unfortunately, he doesn't find his tutor before his father finds him.

"You're finally back home!" Sawada Iemitsu wails, pouting childishly at his one and only son. "I thought that you were avoiding me and it broke my heart!"

Tsuna stares down at Iemitsu and feels oddly calm, an odd warmth lending him strength. "I don't have the time to deal with you today, Dad," he says, the deadline of _ten days_ ringing in his head. "Sorry."

And he brushes past the father who couldn't be bothered to visit for years and heads inside to find Reborn. He doesn't see the stunned look on Iemitsu's face, nor would he care if he did.

Tsuna has a mission to complete, and come hell or high water, he's going to complete it.

 **Role**

Kyoya closes the door after Tsuna leaves and walks back to Noriko, who is now staring blankly at the oven as the cookies inside bake. "Reiki," he says, an order in his tone.

Silence answers him, but he waits calmly. Past experiences have taught him that she will talk when she is ready to.

"Everyone has a role," Noriko says eventually. "Everyone. You are the aloof, untamable Cloud. Hayato-kun is the furious Storm. Takeshi-kun is the blessed Rain."

"And you?" he questions after she halts, sensing that this is the reason she has been so very upset lately.

"I…" she breathes raggedly, tilting her head back to peer out the window to the cloudy sky outside, hands clenching. "I am the Moon." A pause, a sardonic smile. "But please don't tell."

Kyoya scoffs and doesn't bother responding. Only herbivores do something as inane as _gossip_. "What's the role of the Moon?" It was not, he notices, in the list of Flames she gave Tsunayoshi.

"The Moon is no Guardian," Noriko murmurs, eyes heavy-lidded, "It is: t _he always changing Moon that nonetheless remains, ever advising and judging from a neutral and impartial view._ "

She pauses. "There has only ever been one Vongola Moon in history," Noriko adds, a strange little half-smile on her face.

Kyoya knows when not to push. He doesn't ask how or why in the world she knows that...or why said role sounds so similar to what she has done for their pack ever since they were cubs.

 **Steadfast**

"Ciaossu," Reborn chirps when Tsuna enters his room. He immediately observes the orange tint to the boy's eyes, the clear determination in his raised chin, the ring clenched in his hand.

"Reborn," Tsuna greets before getting down to business without further ado. "What exactly is the purpose of Guardians?"

There is a curious blend of command and request in that now firm voice. Reborn is suspicious, not for the first time, of just what Reiki Noriko knows and how, but that is neither here nor now.

"The role of the Guardians to do just that: guard. Their job is to protect and assist their Boss as the core members of the Famiglia," Reborn explains. "That's what the rings symbolize."

"Who got them?" Tsuna sits down abruptly, fingers tightening around the Sky Ring. "I know Hibari-san got Cloud, but the others. Who got them?"

"Gokudera got Storm. Yamamoto is Rain. Ryohei is Sun. Lambo is Lightning. And...Mukuro is Mist," Reborn lists, mildly surprised when Tsuna doesn't even blink at the last Guardian. He'd expected a squeal at last.

But Tsuna merely nods and inquires, almost gently, "And Nori-chan? Why not Nori-chan?"

Ah. So this is the problem. "She's not suitable to be Guardian," Reborn says and hopes that his student will leave it at that.

He doesn't.

"She said that, too," Tsuna recounts unhappily, to Reborn's narrowed eyes. Brownish orange eyes bear into abyssal black unerringly. "Why?"

"...Noriko's Flames are entirely unknown," Reborn admits. "If she has any, they're so weak no one can sense them."

"So there's no way…" Tsuna trails off, the serenity of his resolve breaking off into a frown.

"No," Reborn says bluntly. "Noriko will never be a Guardian. That's just how it is."

Tsuna is silent for a beat. When he looks back at Reborn, the Will in his eyes could have destroyed lesser men. "Even if she's not my Guardian, Nori-chan will always be my best friend," he declares.

That is what Tsuna says.

That is not what Reborn hears.

 _Don't think you can take her away from me_.

The Greatest Hitman in the World bows his head briefly in acknowledgement. "...very well."

Then, Tsuna blinks and the orange in his eyes is gone, leaving behind a resigned, tired boy who sighs and looks down at the ring in his hand before slipping the chain over his head.


	26. Training

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Training**

 _This is all they can do to prepare for the danger._

 **Mentors**

They each have their own training schedules and personal tutors. Tsuna with Reborn and Basil, that boy now out of the hospital. Hayato with Shamal, and Takeshi with Tsuyoshi. Ryohei with Colonello, and Kyoya, unwillingly, with Dino.

As for Mukuro and Lambo...

 **Lonely**

"Sorellona!" Lambo whines, clinging onto Noriko as if she will disappear if he lets go. "Everyone else is so busy and no one has time to play with Lambo-san anymore! It's not fair!"

Despite his childish tone, there is pain in his bright green eyes and his bottom lip trembles. She wonders if he is thinking of the Bovino Famiglia even as she rocks him gently and cuddles him close.

"I know. I know, Lambo-kun. It's okay though. They'll be back," Noriko says, turning her head to gaze absently out the window. It's a cloudy sky today. "There's nothing to worry about."

Despite her confident tone, there is turmoil in her quiet, sweet smile and her eyelashes shade her expression. He wonders if his big sister is worried, too, even as he buries his face in her neck and cries.

 **Lies**

"Oya, oya, such a cold welcome, dear Noriko," Mukuro says after being ignored by said girl for twenty minutes.

It's what he gets for appearing at her breakfast table one day, completely out of the blue. He's fortunate that her parents are currently on a vacation, courtesy of a mystery contest they had never even heard of before.

It's alright. Noriko had waved off her parents' half-hearted invitation to join them, claiming school related issues and wished them a happy time in the Caribbeans.

All she truly wants is for them to be faraway from Namimori before the insanity starts.

Noriko continues reading her book, much too aware of the mismatched eyes watching her but pretending obliviousness. She does not want to talk to the Mist.

"Kufufu, how strange," Mukuro muses, head tilted at a coy angle. "You chose to play the part of heroine...and yet, you don't even like me, do you? I suppose it was a bad memory, after all."

She is startled into a laugh, a tired, hoarse one if his narrowed eyes are any indication. "You have no idea, Mukuro," Noriko says, smiling faintly. "Now, please leave."

Mukuro doesn't bat an eyelid but rises to his feet gracefully, a twisted smirk adorning his face. "Why, of course, dear Noriko." It is at the doorway that he pauses and turns his head back. "You know, don't you? Of my darling Chrome?"

"Of course," Noriko echoes and hears the door close.

 **Grave**

Noriko feels it when the Varia arrive. It's akin to a ice cube being dropped down her back, a pair of feet dancing over her grave.

Hmm, now that's an interesting thought. Where _is_ Cynthia's grave?

But it is who follow the Varia that draws her attention.

 **Pink**

Noriko stares blankly at the pair of Cervello staring, equally blank, back at her.

So. This is what has become of her organization. This is what has become of her descendants.

Cynthia had a boy and a girl, twins named Sonali and Amaris. Amaris was her successor; Sonali became the ancestor of Noriko.

She is...disappointed.

"Who are you?" one of the girls ask, the one on the left. "You are...one of us, but not."

"No," she says immediately. "I am not one of you. Never imply so again."

"Then," the other girl says, stiffening a little, "who are you? What are you?"

"That doesn't matter," she says. "Why are you asking unnecessary questions? Your task is to Judge, only to Judge."

There is a beat of silence, before both incline their heads in unison.

"You are correct," says the girl on the left. "Regardless of who you are, you will not be permitted to interfere in the Ring Battles."

"That is not my purpose," she responds and doesn't know who is speaking through her mouth at the moment. But it doesn't matter either, does it? "See to it that this dispute is kept fair."

The girl on the right bristles slightly. "Who are you to question the Cervello?"

"Your allegiance is not to the Varia Leader," she says coolly and turns to leave. "But to the Judgment. Do not forget."

They do not attempt to stop her from leaving.

 **History**

It's a little known fact, but the Cervello are not only responsible for the Judgment, but also the Records. They are the Judges, after all, and their statements are meant to be unbiased, untainted by human emotion.

In a world where history is painted by the loser's blood by the winner, these Records are very important.

Even more unknown is the fact that Amaris, her beautiful, clever daughter, had erased her mother's records - near to every last thing known about Cervello Cynthia - at her own request.

It's a far cry from the legends and rumors and myths that are whispered in the corridors of the Vongola of the Primo and his Guardians, but the Arbiter is meant to be separate, even in time and paper and ink.

If Giotto, G., Ugetsu, Knuckle, Aluade, Lampo, and Daemon are shining figures in history, then Cynthia is shrouded in darkness. There is precious little known about her, much less her abilities and position several hundred years ago.

Among the Cervello, the story of their founder, of the first Judge and Arbiter, the one and only _true_ Moon ever born, is passed like the tales of old: from mouth to mouth, in sings and chants and lore.

They are the only ones who have even the slightest inkling of how their ancestor was.

Sonali and Amaris are dead. _Deaddeaddead_. Just as dead as Giotto and his Guardians.

Noriko cries silently.


	27. Threat

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Threat**

 _This is what they stand against._

 **Click**

After the sun descends down the horizon and night creeps steadily across the sky, Noriko stirs and rises to her feet, disrupting the game the children have been playing.

"Sorellona?" Fuuta asks, looking startled and worried. It's ever so wrong for a child to be so knowledgeable of the darker sides of the world, but there are other things to be concerned with at the moment.

"Stay inside," Noriko says sharply, moving towards the front door. "No matter what, understand?"

The uncharacteristically brutal tone of her voice has Fuuta agreeing frantically, I-Pin and Lambo clinging to his legs, eyes wide and frightened. The swing of the door as it opens and closes, the lock clicking into place, seems terribly permanent.

 **Thieves**

Noriko stands outside her house and waits, the wind sweeping through her hair and the streets silent. She knows that they are coming, and sure enough, shadows appear on the telephone poles stationed around her street.

The Varia, it seems, are impatient ones.

"You are not welcome here," she calls out, crisp and clear. "Cease and desist at once."

There is a scoff, a male voice speaking up derisively, "You're a civilian, right? Get out of the way and you won't be hurt."

Really, she's the one supposed to be telling them that.

"Nori-chan!" Tsuna runs down the street, Reborn right next to him. His eyes are large and worried, a clear frown on his face. "Are you okay?"

They haven't even started the assault yet. "I'm fine," Noriko says and watches as all three of her opponents jump forward, all at once.

"Hiieee!" Tsuna squeals, but before any of them are within touching distance, there is a burst of movement and a fist strikes one, an explosion strikes the second, and a sword strikes the third.

When Kyoya stalks from the shoulders with a bloodthirsty grin, it is quite nearly overkill.

At least until the true Varia arrive.

 **Lineage**

Noriko muffles her laughter when it is revealed that Xanxus is the son of the Vongola Nono.

Do these people not have eyes? Xanxus is all but the second coming of the Secondo, a distant cousin of the Primo. His Flame even reverberates with the same wrath that colored Ricardo's.

And Tsuna really must learn some subtlety if he wishes for everyone present to _not_ notice he is blatantly shielding Noriko from view and attack. She does appreciate the gesture even if it's entirely unnecessary.

Still, it's somewhat concerning how all of the adults present find it perfectly fine for a group of elite assassins with decades of experience under their belts to fight against a group of barely trained teenagers not out of middle school.

 **Referees**

It's not unsurprising Iemitsu knows nothing of the Cervello even though he's the Outside Adviser. They work only under the Vongola Boss of the time and no one else.

It does not escape Noriko's notice when the two Cervello cast a lingering look at her before leaving or the thoughtful glimmer in Tsuna's eyes when he glances between her and them.

The Hyper Intuition should not be underestimated.

 **Tremors**

"Ah, I can't do this, Nori-chan!" Tsuna wails after the Varia leave. He's on his knees on her carpet, hands clutching desperately at his head. "This is such a mess! You saw how scary that guy was! How am I supposed to fight him!?"

Noriko laughs gently, preoccupied with brewing tea. The others have left for home, although Tsuna had accepted her offer to stay with barely a second's pause. "He _was_ scary," she concedes, handing him a cup of steaming tea.

"What do I do!? He's going to kill me!" he whimpers, staring up at her with wide, panicked eyes. His hands are shaking enough that he has to put his tea down on the table to avoid spilling it.

She thinks about it. Honestly, what _can_ he do at this point in time? "You've already made your decision," she reminds him. "Now, it's just time to follow through with it."

"But I can't!" he cries out, shaking his head so hard she's half-afraid he'll sprain something. "W-What if someone gets hurt!? It'll be all my fault! Hiiieee, you heard what those Cervello said! It's a battle to the death or something!"

"Tsuna." Noriko reaches across the table to place her hand on his, echoing that morning back in Kyoya's house. Her gaze is steady, serene and reflective. "Trust in your family," she says. "You're not alone. We won't let you down."

Tsuna bites his lip indecisively, but visibly calms down, tremors diminishing. "W-Will that really be okay?" he asks hesitantly. "To just let go like that? C-Can I really - "

"That's what family's for."

"...okay."

 **Wild**

It's weird, Tsuna thinks. When he first met her, Noriko was insane and crazy. She dragged him into situations where he thought he was going to die, pushed and pushed at his small boundaries until everything wasn't so scary anymore.

But now, with his head resting on her lap and gentle fingers carding through his hair, that sweet, silvery voice singing a foreign lullaby that is nonetheless reassuring and comforting, Noriko is probably the most stable person in his life.

Actually, she's most likely both, now that he thinks about it: always changing but always constant, too. Predictable, in the most unpredictable way.

She still has that streak of wildness in her though. This time, Tsuna's glad for it because anyone with it would probably have run for the hills by now.

Kami-sama knows that if he could bring his family with him and leave the mafia behind, Tsuna would have done so a long time ago. Stupid Reborn.


	28. Battles

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Battles**

 _This is what they fight._

 **Lussuria**

At least the Cervello are decent enough to give Ryohei a pair of sunglasses before the fight.

Ryohei wins in the end, albeit with major injuries.

Then, the Varia shoot Lussuria ruthlessly.

Noriko would call foul, except this is technically their win. Besides, Kyoya would be most displeased with her if she disqualifies his opponent.

 **Child**

"Neh, Sorellona?" Lambo clings to her tightly, fiddling with her long hair. "Does Sorellona want Lambo-san to fight?"

Noriko is silent for a moment. "Sorellona doesn't want Lambo-kun to get hurt," she says at last.

"Okay." He beams confidently. "Lambo-san won't get hurt then! But he'll win the fight for Tsuna-nii anyway."

She cuddles him close and says nothing more as the sun vanishes down the horizon.

 **Leviathan**

The future Lambo from twenty years is ten seconds away from winning when he is called away by the time limit on the ten year bazooka.

Noriko is...coldly furious. She agreed to letting the lightning child fight with the aid of the ten year bazooka, but that doesn't mean she is alright with this brutality.

She would have interfered, but Tsuna beats her to it.

 **Hyper**

"I don't care about being the successor for Vongola," Hyper Dying Will Mode Tsuna says firmly after he disrupts the match. "I don't care about the rings or any of that. I just don't want my friends to get hurt."

Xanxus is wrong, Noriko thinks when the Leader of the Varia shows up. Tsuna may hold a resemblance to Timoteo, but it is not the will of the Ninth that he inherited.

It is Primo's.

 **Boundaries**

"The damage to the battlefield directly affected the battle. Naturally, he will be disqualified," the remaining Cervello says, moving to take the Sky Ring.

"N-No way..." Tsuna is at a loss of what to do, the previous _certainty_ humming in his bones long gone to be replaced by a chill that has nothing at all to do with the cool night air.

"Here, our word is law," the Cervello says dispassionately.

"Don't be arrogant," a familiar voice cuts in.

Everyone turns to see Noriko step forward, serene gaze resting on the Cervello.

"You are _not_ the law," she says, and there is something fey, old, otherworldly in her voice, echoes of a Judgment. "You are the judges who see to it that the laws are followed. Do _not_ think to overstep your _boundaries."_

Tsuna thinks he sees the Cervello pale slightly at the ominous warning, but she stands her ground. "That may be so, but Mr. Sawada is still disqualified according to the rules established."

Nori doesn't even blink, the distant look to her eyes sending a shiver down Tsuna's spine, for it's a mark of an upcoming Eclipse. Not here, he thinks fearfully, not now, not where the Varia can see how _special_ his best friend is.

"Tsuna may have interfered in the Lightning Battle, but Xanxus struck down your colleague," she says softly, that ring of absolute sentence lining her tone. "The Judges are not to be touched. That _is_ another one of your rules...is it not?"

Tsuna has no idea how Nori knows this, and from the looks on his dad's, tutor's, and friends' faces, they don't either. But the shoulders of the Cervello tense, and she takes a step back after a moment of contemplation.

"You are correct," she says stiffly. "The offenses on both sides cancel out. Thus, only the Ring of Thunder will be awarded to the Varia."

Tsuna doesn't have the space or time to feel relief or triumph, because the murderous look on Xanxus' face is definitely directed towards Noriko, who doesn't even seem to notice in her blank state.

He really, really hopes that she doesn't have an all-out Eclipse during the Ring Battles, but with the way things are going, he probably shouldn't hold his breath.

 **Belphegor**

Hayato is strong, but the boy who thinks himself a prince seizes the victory in the end.

Noriko is glad, despite all of the consequences that might result in such a defeat.

She would rather have the silverette with them than hold the Vongola Rings anyway.

Cynthia is certain that Giotto and G. would agree if they were here to comment. Tsuna obviously does, considering he all but orders his future Right-Hand Man out of the battlefield, using his authority for perhaps the first time ever.

On a side note, Noriko is seriously going to have to something about Hayato's lack of self-esteem.

Soon. Very soon.

 **Squalo**

Noriko watches Takeshi create a ninth form for Shigure Soen Style and use Squalo's own technique against him with nostalgia and melancholy.

She remembers the day Ugetsu created the first form for that sword style. It was a rainy, bloody day, G. and Aluade were wounded, Daemon and Lampo were nowhere in sight, and Giotto was two seconds away from being impaled.

It figures that Takeshi would do the same in a similar situation.

 **Mammon**

Noriko does not attend the Battle for the Mist Ring.

She thinks she can be forgiven, just this once.

 **Gola Mosca**

"Woah!" Takeshi tackles her out of the way of the bullets the rampaging robot is spitting out, taking the brunt of the fall while a rock shields them. "You okay, Noriko?"

"...I'm fine," Noriko assures him, maneuvering herself into a kneeling position behind the rock to peer out at the damage being wrought. "More importantly...this doesn't look good."

 **Scheme**

Noriko narrows her eyes at a laughing Xanxus when the body of Vongola Nono is dragged out of the wreckage of Gola Mosca. Such hatred for one he claims is his father, she thinks.

So...it's finally time for the Battle of the Sky Ring.


	29. Last

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Last**

 _This is how the Sky Battle burns._

 **Before**

The day before the Sky Battle, none of them go to school, not even Kyoya.

Instead, they all pile into the Sawada household and spend the hours with Tsuna.

And despite their reassuring smiles and laughs and jokes, Noriko is fairly certain that even Nana knows something is wrong, because when the matriarch comes to deliver lunch, there is a worried crease to her brow.

Noriko just hugs Tsuna tighter and resists the pull of the Eclipse. There'll be plenty of time for that later.

 **Poison**

When Noriko realizes what the Cervello have done, she's tempted to sentence them to something dreadful, descendants or not.

The knowledge that they have been _lying_ and _biased_ from the beginning does not help her temper at all.

"What do you think you're _doing_!?" she hisses after that battle starts, turning on them with flashing slate blue eyes and half a mind to inflict grievous harm.

Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Reborn, Colonello, Shamal, and Basil turn their heads towards her, clear interest on their faces, but she ignores them in favor of the uneasy Cervello.

"Please, calm down," the one on the left entreats, holding up a hand, palm-out. "Whether you agree with them or not, these are the rules of the Sky Battle - "

" _Quiet_ ," Noriko commands furiously, fingers curling into fists. "This has nothing to do with the rules. Understand this, Cervello, if even a single _one_ of my _family_ dies tonight, I will _tear_ your organization _apart_ with my bare hands."

And she can do it, too, for this is the organization she helped create. She knows exactly which nails to pull to bring the whole thing crashing down.

The Moon spins away from the blanching Cervello to focus on the fight of her Sky.

 **Wrath**

Xanxus really does remind her of Ricardo, with his absolute fury and incredible intensity and bloodthirsty countenance.

But.

It's too bad for that child, because Tsuna reminds her of Giotto _more._

 **Zero**

Tsuna puts his hands together in _that_ stance, orange Sky Flames flickering erratically, and Noriko's eyes widen.

How long has it been since she has seen this technique?

The Zero Point Breakthrough.

Cynthia had been there when Giotto created that technique.

And even better, Tsuna _improves_ upon it, creating his own version of it.

Noriko smiles proudly and waits patiently for this battle to end.

 **Adopted**

It does not surprise her to learn that Xanxus is an adopted child.

She has thought from the start that he is unrelated to Timoteo. But perhaps she will have a talk with him later about his relation to Ricardo.

As for his previous stint in the ice created from the Zero Point Breakthrough...

Well. Cynthia has seen the scars from Giotto's former enemies. They never go away, not truly.

 **Pull**

Noriko can feel it pulling at her. The detached, impartial embrace of the Eclipse, for the time of Judgment draws ever closer, the conclusion of the battle so, so close she can almost touch it.

It starts with a daze of silver calm, impenetrable and unshakable.

Next is the cold in her veins, creeping into her mind to muffle her emotions.

Then, there is the weightlessness, as if the tether between her body and her mind has been broken.

And finally, there comes the confidence, the assurance of a being that reigns above the stars and in the heavens.

The circumstances that bind the rest of those who walk the earth do not touch her, for she is above such concerns. The niceties of society and emotional impairment - what does that matter to her?

There is only the Judgment.

 **Barrier**

"O-Oi! What's wrong with you, kora!?" Colonello shouts, eyes wide with alarm.

Reborn says nothing, but grips the brim of his fedora and pushes it down.

"Has the cute girl finally gone crazy?" Shamal wonders to himself while Basil panics.

Noriko says nothing to them, but continues to press her glowing hand to the infrared boundary that surrounds the observation box. And then she -

\- disappears.

 **End**

Tsuna is lying by the defeated, boodied Xanxus as his Guardians defeat the rest of the Varia when he senses it, a massive wave of pure, crystalline power that floods the battlefield.

He jerks his head up, eyes widening, and goes pale.

 _Oh_.

Noriko walks slowly, purposefully to the two fallen Skies, form pulsing with silver light. Her eyes are lighter than Tsuna has ever seen them, a blue so pale it may well be white, and her platinum hair shines metallic silver underneath the moonlight and the glow of her aura.

With her long white dress, she looks like a spirit or a kami, come to pass damnation on them all.

The usual air of an Eclipse surrounds Noriko, mystical, unearthly, and transcendental, but it is _stronger_ than the ones that have come before, strong enough that those she passes instinctively freeze and go motionless, weapons stilling and bloodlust retreating to leave behind an anxious awe.

This is not an entity that belongs to this earth, not under ordinary circumstances.

Tsuna manages to gather the strength to get to his knees when Noriko stops in front of them. "Nori-chan...?"

"What the fuck?" Xanxus mutters, staring wide-eyed at the spectator in white and silver. "What sort of trash are you!?"

Noriko raises her hands in front of her, a meter or so in-between, saying nothing. Lying morosely on the ground, the Sky Ring pulses orange, once, twice, and vanishes to appear in between her hands, flaring with a bright Sky Flame.

"What. The. Actual. Fuck?!" Xanxus snarls, but loses steam out of necessity when the other six rings appear as well, circling around her hands and the central ring, to various other cries of surprise and alarm.

Tsuna wants to agree with his rival, just this once.


	30. Conclusion

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Conclusion**

 _This is how the Ring Battles end._

 **Reunite**

Even in the grip of an Eclipse, Noriko can feel the distinct Flames that burn in the Rings that have responded to the call of the Moon.

They whisper to her, memories and affection and recognition. They know her, even if this is not the form she took in centuries past, even if this is not their true spirits but just the imprints of who they once where.

For a single, irrational moment, Noriko thrusts aside the cool of the Eclipse and wants desperately to keep the Vongola Rings in her possession forever.

But it takes less than a second for the weight of the Judgment to settle back on her shoulders, and she looks up to meet the startled brown eyes of Sawada Tsunayoshi and the angry red eyes of Varia Xanxus.

 **Results**

"Xanxus of the Varia has been disqualified and defeated. Thus, the position of Vongola Heir goes to Sawada Tsunayoshi," the Arbiter judges, her layered voice of authority and regency easily reaching even those in the far edges of the battlefield.

The Sky Ring vanishes from between her hands to appear on the younger Sky's finger with a flash of orange flame and a surprised squeak from Tsunayoshi. It is heavy with the sins of the past and the expectations of the future.

"The Guardians of the future Vongola Decimo shall be Gokudera Hayato of the Storm, Yamamoto Takeshi of the Rain, Sasagawa Ryohei of the Son, Hibari Kyoya of the Cloud, Bovino Lambo of the Lightning, and Dokuro Chrome of the Mist."

With each individual that she names, the corresponding ring disappears to return to its proper owner. Reactions are varied. The Storm, Rain, and Sun look happy, the Mist smiles slightly, the Lightning is unconscious, and the Cloud huffs.

And the Moon looks around, meeting every participant's gaze with her own. "With this, the Ring Battles are _over,_ " she declares unflinchingly, as certain as the blue sky and the free clouds and the soothing rain.

No one dares to disagree.

 **Aftermath**

 _"Who is she, Reborn?"_ Iemitsu demands over the phone, no doubt caught up by his apprentice as to what happened. _"Basil tells me he couldn't figure out what Flame she had at all."_

"That's unsurprising," Reborn says, hiding in the bushes in a plant costume with a telescope raised to his eyes to keep an eye on the developing situation between Tsuna and Longchamp. "Since I don't know either."

 _"What!?"_ Iemitsu sounds a mix between incensed, horrified, and bemused. Not surprising given that this is _Reborn_ talking. _"If you don't know anything about her, then why are you letting her influence my son!?"_

Reborn narrows his eyes dangerously, although Iemitsu can't possibly see. "Don't be ridiculous, Iemitsu. Reiki Noriko has been Tsuna's best friend since kindergarten. Do you really think Tsuna will take any attack on her lying down?"

Iemitsu scoffs dismissively. _"Tsuna's young. It's our job to protect him, and this Noriko not only has a completely unknown Flame, she stopped an entire battle by herself! Did you do any digging on her past at least?"_

"Of course." Who does Iemitsu think Reborn is? "There's nothing even remotely suspicious about her. Middle class, somewhat struggling family, normal, law-abiding parents, and good grades all throughout school."

 _"Maybe I should send someone over to deal with her - "_

" _No_ , Iemitsu," Reborn snaps sharply, hand tightening harshly on his Leon-telescope for a moment before he forces himself to relax again. "Don't you dare lay a finger on Reiki Noriko."

There's a baffled pause. " _Reborn, you_ like _her?"_ Iemitsu questions incredulously.

"What _I_ think is irrelevant," Reborn says bluntly. "The second Noriko gets hurt because of the Mafia, Tsuna will turn on the Vongola. And if he ever finds out the order came from _you_ , he'll never forgive you, father or not."

When Iemitsu speaks again, he sounds unusually subdued. _"This girl - she's really that important to my tuna-fishie?"_

Reborn resists the urge to roll his eyes. "I told you, she's his first and best friend. Tsuna trusts Noriko wholeheartedly, and Noriko is definitely on Tsuna's side no matter what. Don't even try separating them. It won't work."

 **Unknown**

"Hiieee! What do I do!?" Tsuna shrieks, running around in an absolute panic. "It's been _two weeks_ and Nori-chan still hasn't snapped out of the Eclipse! It's never gone on for so long before!"

Reborn kicks him in the head, to his pained cry. "Calm down, Dame-Tsuna. You won't be of any help to your family in such a state," he scolds, sipping his morning cup of coffee smoothly. "It's unbecoming for a mafia boss to panic."

"I'm not going to become a mafia boss!" Tsuna refutes, like he always does, and dials Ryohei, because Nori is with the Sun at the moment, attending his boxing match.

Ryohei cheerfully confirms that Noriko is fine and very extreme! A bit quieter, he adds that there's no change to her condition since the last time Tsuna called.

Tsuna sits down at the edge of his bed, flipping his phone closed, and recalls the raw purity of the silver light that flared that night, the wild serenity and cool wisdom, implacable conviction and unshakable inevitability.

He knows no one but Nori probably knows what that light was - and she is in no condition to answer anyone's questions - but he can't help but wonder anyway.

 **Recovery**

When Noriko "wakes" up, it has been twenty days since the Ring Battles have ended and she is in Kyoya's home.

"Sorellona! I didn't mean to do it, honest!" Lambo wails, all but diving into her arms in tears.

And, more importantly, Reborn, Hayato, and Tsuna are missing, courtesy of the ten year bazooka.


	31. Future

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Future**

 _This is what is to come._

 **Displacement**

Noriko blinks.

One second ago, she was leaving school, mentally agonizing over where her Sky and Storm have gone. There was a screaming sense of disorientation after a bazooka hit her, a paralysis coming over her body so she couldn't move.

Now, she appears to be standing in front of a kneeling Kyoko, who looks just as disoriented, in an abandoned warehouse in the middle of what her instincts maintain is a battle, and she tenses automatically -

"Nori-chan, watch out!" Tsuna crashes into her from the side, throwing them both out of the way of a massive Flame attack that obliterates the place she was standing in and throws up a cloud of dust, the shock wave devastating.

...oh.

 **Older**

Tsuna only catches a split second glimpse of the Noriko from ten years later, standing guard over a Kyoko also from ten years later, before the switch occurs.

It's enough, that brief look.

Older Noriko looked like a regal queen, with flashing blue-grey eyes and white blonde hair wrapped up in a bun with long bangs framing her face, a white and gold Greek-styled gown billowing around her form, proud and strong.

Tsuna is glad that his best friend survives the world into which they were forcibly thrown with her spirit intact and her head held high.

 **Declaration**

"No, Nori-chan. Stay there and look after Kyoko-chan. I promise...I promise I'll protect you both, even I have to exchange my life for yours."

She is painfully torn between hitting the stupid boy upside the head and being reluctantly proud of how far he has come from that cowering child in the playgrounds.

 **Funeral**

When they are back at the base, Noriko does not take the news of Future Tsuna's death well.

She does not care that they are apparently in a war with a rival famiglia. She does not care that the world they now inhabit is such a destructive, violent place.

None of this is new to Cynthia.

But to hear that Tsuna had died...

To hear that Noriko had lost her Sky...

 _Again_...

She can't accept that. She won't accept that.

 **Role**

"Who is she?" Reborn asks after everyone has cleared out for their assigned rooms. "Reiki Noriko in this future."

Lal Mirch narrows her eyes at him, but a smirk curves her lips. "Ah, I heard that Noriko was a mystery to you and the others in her youth. It's rare for you not to know anything, Reborn."

"So she's not an enemy," he concludes, ignoring how her eye twitches. "And you two were fairly close in this world. Was she in the Vongola?"

Lal Mirch grits her teeth. "I forgot how much I hate it when you do that," she grumbles underneath her breath before getting down to business. "Reiki Noriko is - _was -_ the head of the Cervello, the judges of the Vongola."

"Was?" Reborn's eyes are shaded by the brim of his fedora, but Lal Mirch pays him no mind.

"She disbanded the group six months ago," she reveals, tapping a foot on the ground absently. "Said something about corruption among the ranks and dispersed the Cervello to the high winds."

Lal Mirch pauses and shoots a sly look at Reborn. "You know, the Vongola Decimo - that brat's future self - had two advisers."

"Who were they?" he asks, voice unreadable even though he has a good idea of the answer.

"You," she says bluntly, "and her before he went and died on us."

He can throw that girl much farther than he trusts her. "What Flame does Reiki Noriko possess?" He still remembers that unearthly, silvery blaze during the Ring Battles.

She snorts, amused, before turning on her heel. "Figure it out yourself."

Lal Mirch leaves Reborn staring after her with an annoyed frown, dark eyes thoughtful and calculating.

 **Torture**

Noriko _fumes_ when she hears of what Hayato and Takeshi went through, especially when she sees the damage for herself.

While she is happy that they have resolved some of the tension that has lingered in the air between them since they first met, the bantering camaraderie they now share a bittersweet reminder of G. and Ugetsu, it does not change the fact that they were all but tortured for information.

Certainly, should she ever meet this Gamma, he will regret ever having been born.

Still, there is nothing she can do about it now, especially since the future Kyoya wants to talk to her.

...he looks so much like Alaude, it's almost painful to look at him.

 **Power**

"You don't have a ring," Kyoya says, seated in seiza. He sips at his tea calmly and places the cup back down on the wooden table, black kinagashi rustling slightly.

"Yes," Noriko replies, smiling that wild, distant smile that he remembers well from the ridiculous situations she had dragged them into in their childhood, all restless energy and wary preparation for the future.

"You will never find a ring that will work for you," he reiterates, because now that he has ten more years of experience in Reiki Noriko, he can sense the otherworldly power that hums beneath her skin.

"Yes," she repeats, utterly unconcerned even as she smiles down at her reflection in the swirling tea. He is not concerned either, because even at only thirteen years of age, Noriko is far stronger than the rest of their pack right now.

But then, the Moon is not truly merely thirteen, is she?

"They don't know," he murmurs.

"You do," she returns quietly.

"Yes," he echoes thoughtfully and watches as Noriko's eyes become much, much older for a moment, an eternity in the time it takes for a grain of sand to fall in an hourglass.

Kyoya has only ever fought with Cynthia - _not Noriko -_ once.

He has never tried again.


	32. Raid

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Raid**

 _This is how they retaliate._

 **X**

Noriko is incredibly proud with Tsuna creates a technique called the X-Burner.

She is also incredibly worried about how entrenched he has become in the dark world of the Mafia.

It doesn't help that, apparently, the Tsuna in this reality gave in and became the Vongola Decimo.

Sadly, Noriko cannot Judge Reborn for a crime he has not committed yet.

 **Older**

When a ten years older Rokudo Mukuro arrives at the base, Chrome, Ken, Chikusa, M.M. and Fran in tow, and looking so much like Daemon, Noriko almost throws up.

She refuses to talk to him. She refuses to be in the same room with him.

(How is this fair?)

 **Strength**

The fights between Mukuro and Kyoya are incredible. Ten years older Ryohei stands on the sidelines shouting enthusiastically, while Tsuna, Hayato, and Takeshi watch with awestruck eyes.

Even Reborn seems impressed.

Noriko just watches, eyes only partially opened. She remembers a man with blue hair and mad eyes, ever fighting with a blond man with hunter eyes, scythe and handcuffs clashing against one another.

She shivers. It's not so cold.

 **Corner**

Mukuro corners her eventually. Noriko should have expected it.

Ten years can change many things.

"You see someone else when you look at me," he muses quietly into her ear, a single hand chaining her wrists to the wall above her head. "You always have, Cynthia."

"You know better," she says, voice coming out even despite the tremors in her bones. "Reincarnation doesn't work like that." Though sometimes, she thinks...

"Kufufufu...sometimes, little Moon, it's better to let go of the past," Mukuro tells her. "But that would be hypocritical of me, wouldn't it?" So he still wishes to destroy the Mafia? Or does he simply pay lip service to the idea?

"Ten years." Noriko fights against the pull of the Eclipse, knowing that it will only be a hindrance to her family now. "I never imagined you would last this long." Without betraying Tsuna, that is.

He goes very still, pulling back to stare at her with heterochromatic eyes. "So suspicious," he mocks, but there is weight to his gaze. "Tsunayoshi-kun's so much more trusting than you are."

She tilts her head, feels the cold inch ever closer. The status quo will not last, she knows, but not here, not now. Still, she wants to know. "Are you taking advantage of him?"

He smirks, arrogant and knowing. "Would you try and kill me if I said yes?" he wants to know.

"Do you think I can't?" Ten years is a long time, but several hundred years are longer.

He narrows his eyes and lets her go. "It has nothing to do with power, Nori-chan. Can you honestly kill me?"

Noriko hates that he says her nickname with such familiarity. "Tsuna is my Sky," she says and turns to leave.

"Ah, but I am your Mist," Mukuro murmurs quietly behind her.

 **Unnecessary**

"Nori-chan?" Tsuna peers at her with wide, pleading eyes. "Stay here? Please?"

He does not want to see her in an Eclipse, and so he thinks to keep her out of the battlefield altogether.

Noriko tastes the silver power in her veins and smiles. "Of course, Tsuna! Have fun for me, will you?"

"Nori-chan!" Tsuna cries, scandalized, while she laughs.

 **Invasion**

They creep away, Lal Mirch, Tsuna, Hayato, and Takeshi, while Kyoya and Mukuro distract the men that have come to assassinate them all under the cover of night.

Noriko wonders at them. Did this Byakuran really assume these pawns would be enough to kill off the Vongola?

If so, he's a fool.

 **Suspicions**

It's not easy watching the confrontations with Reborn.

For one, her boys, her _family_ , are getting hurt.

For two, under watch, she's useless, yet again.

For three, the hitman is suspicious, immensely so.

Fortunately, Reborn is too focused on Tsuna to truly interrogate Noriko now that they are alone.

That doesn't mean he does not notice when she goes still, still, _still_ when the pink-haired woman come on screen.

Noriko does not know what her future self was thinking. It's obvious that it's time to clean house.

 **Plan**

There are so many things wrong with future Tsuna's plan that Noriko nearly doesn't know where to start.

How much has the Mafia ruined her Sky? How much has Reborn ruined her Sky?

To put children into the line of fire? To put innocents amidst a fight between two rival famiglias?

On _purpose_?

Not to mention getting himself shot and artificially killed. That is _not_ acceptable.

What was this Tsuna thinking?

It partially assuages her ire when she notices her Tsuna looks just as horrified as she feels and none of his Guardians appear much pleased with this arrangement either.

There is also, of course, the factor of the future Tsuna trusting parts of his plan to future Kyoya and future Mukuro. Disregarding her instinctive rejection of any sort of trust given to the Mist, why did they agree?

Perhaps it was that bad in this world. Perhaps it was that desperate when they hatched this idiotic plan.

Noriko doesn't care.

How _dare_ they?

It doesn't help that sometime in the commotion, Mukuro and Kyoya have both switched with their younger counterparts and Noriko can't even yell at the older Guardians.

Though, at the moment, Kyoya is frowning darkly. That's good.

On the other hand, Mukuro is smirking in amusement. That's bad.

Noriko doesn't know when she'll finally snap. Some day, she is going to Judge the Mist for a past he doesn't know and it will not be pretty.

Then, there's Irie Shoichi and the remaining, former Cervello.

That is a brand new can of worms she doesn't want to approach with a ten foot pole.


	33. Choice

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Choice**

 _This is how the game goes._

 **Betrayal**

After it's revealed that Byakuran has known of Shoichi's betrayal all along and has hidden the Real Six Funeral Wreaths away, Noriko confronts the Cervello.

"Tell me," she says, the echo of the Judgment in her voice. "Tell me or suffer the consequences." Descendants or not, the only one she has ever spared for personal reasons is Daemon Spade and she regrets it to this day.

(Perhaps.)

They tell her.

There were moles in the Cervello, rot and mold. They took over, spreading dissent and malice.

Future Noriko saw. She looked at the situation and decided that there was no helping it.

She cast Judgment.

Not long after that, there comes the plan from future Tsuna. The future her hadn't agreed, not at all, but he would have done it with or without her input, so Noriko had taken advantage.

Byakuran hadn't known that she had Judged the traitors.

And so, Noriko had disbanded the Cervello, let a few of them burrow their way into Millefiore with Shoichi and bide their time for the right moment, while she dealt with the fallout from Tsuna's death.

Which brings them to where they are today.

Present Noriko thinks that it's clear now. Her future self lost her head. Either that or her memories and abilities.

 **Preparation**

Tsuna and his Guardians are training again. This time, they are attempting to achieve and master Cambio Forma.

Noriko doesn't even have to witness the results to know what they will be.

A long black cloak. A longbow of bones. A long sword and three short swords. A shield and helmet. A multiplying handcuff. A pair of boxing gloves. A set of three lenses.

She wants to hate them for doing this. She wants to go back to those happy times. She wants to forget for just a while.

Noriko smiles and looks away.

She knows, even if they do not, that they are finally beginning to understand what it means to be a Boss and a Guardian.

 **Motorcycles**

"Neh, Tsuna, what are you doing?"

Nori peers down at him curiously, and Tsuna cannot help but flush. He knows he must look ridiculous, splayed out on the ground with a large forehead bump. The motorbike on its side, wheels spinning uselessly, probably doesn't help.

"Ah, hi there, Nori-chan!" he greets sheepishly, letting her pull him back on his feet. "I'm, err, trying to learn how to ride a motorbike?"

She blinks at him. "A motorbike?" In an instant, Nori's face goes from surprised to offended. "Tsuna! You're trying to learn how to ride a motorbike _now_!? You refused when I suggested we learn in third grade!"

Tsuna blanches at the reminder of that incident, struggling to keep his lunch in his stomach. That had been one of Nori's more dangerous ideas for sure. "No, no, no, it's not like that, Nori-chan!"

Nori props up a hand on her hip. "Then what?"

"It's for the Choice Battles, Nori!" Takeshi calls out, roaring on by with his own motorbike. "Hahahaha, it's pretty big! Ten kilometers even!"

"Shut up, baseball idiot!" Hayato retorts, swinging around the corner to skid to a stop near Noriko and Tsuna. "Juudaime, are you alright!?"

Tsuna smiles. "Yeah, I'm fine, Gokudera-kun. I guess I'm just bad at this motorbike thing." While Hayato protests loyally, Tsuna sneaks a glance at Nori and frowns.

He has never seen the blonde look so...so introspective and almost secluded. It's almost enough to make him panic.

Tsuna knows that he's been side-lining Noriko for a while. He _knows_. And he doesn't mean to make Nori feel like she's an outsider or something stupid like that, it's just -

She's not his Guardian, even if he wants her to be. And she doesn't have one of the Vongola Rings or a Box Weapon, and her Flames...well. He doesn't want to ask, not if she doesn't want to tell. This is all of his fault anyway.

Both the future scenario and the mafia business.

But now with all of the time he's been spending training and all of the time he's been spending fighting, how much time has Tsuna been spending with Noriko? What about the others? She can't be lonely, right?

"Nori-chan?" Tsuna says, interrupting Hayato's rant, and drawing the attention of the room's occupants to Noriko. "Are you alright?"

Noriko laughs at him, bright and wild and silver, notwithstanding the distance that remains in her eyes. "Of course I am, Tsuna! Why wouldn't I be? It's not like there have been any chances for me to get hurt."

That's true, and Nori has never lied to him before, but...

For some reason, Tsuna still thinks that something's wrong.

 **Flame**

Later, after the party is over, Noriko sits in her bed and shivers.

That blasted Hyper Intuition. She can never quite decide whether it's a blessing or a curse.

Giotto was the same way. He always could tell when she was upset.

She raises her hands and cups them together. Closes her eyes and _reaches._

It has been years since she has done this. In her childhood, Noriko could only summon brief flickers of power before passing out from the effort.

She assumes the weakness has something to do with her reincarnation.

It does not matter now, though she supposes she could question Shoichi or Spanner about it later. The two geniuses have been working around the clock to prepare for the Choice game, rarely coming out even for meals.

Not a few hours ago, Noriko personally saw Tsuna all but shove bentos into their hands and command them to eat it. It was adorable.

Cool silver light shines from her fingers.


	34. Chrome

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Heart**

 _This is how she notices._

 **Shadow**

Noriko first categorizes Dokuro Chrome as Mukuro's. The timid girl with her averted eyes and air of isolation follows the Mist around like a shadow, perpetually half a step behind the blue-haired teenager and willing to cater to his every whim.

From then on, it's not hard for her to dismiss Chrome from her thoughts as she does Mukuro.

On hindsight, it's not an incorrect conclusion. Merely an incomplete one.

 **Attachment**

It surprises Noriko when she catches on to how attached Mukuro is to Chrome. It's a gradual realization, for both Mists are sneaky, sneaky, sneaky, but she is not so unobservant, despite her reservations.

Perhaps it's in how he comes to her aid whenever it is necessary. Perhaps it's in the softness of his gaze whenever it happens to fall on her. Perhaps it's something else, something deeper, something more primal.

It doesn't quite matter. Noriko is still struck speechless for a good minute or two when the realization hits.

 **Resemblance**

It isn't like the others. With them, it's obvious. It's a direct hit to the heart on first sight, it's the sun's light after an eternity in the darkness.

With Chrome, it's different.

Rather than a bomb exploding in her face, it's a small light, flickering and dancing and growing ever stronger while she's not looking until it's a supernova in her peripheral vision.

Noriko realizes the same way.

 **Smile**

The day Dokuro Chrome smiles, really, truly _smiles_ while standing with Haru and Kyoko and I-Pin and Bianchi, Noriko almost trips over her own feet.

She knows that smile, lovely and kind and sweet.

Once, Elena was Cynthia's foster sister, after all.

 **Link**

Elena was Daemon's tie to sanity. She was his reason for joining Vongola, she was his connection to the world.

When Elena died, so did Daemon, in all the ways that mattered.

Chrome is Mukuro's darling. She is his reason for cooperating with Tsuna, she is the one he cherishes above all.

History loves to repeat itself. Noriko is half tempted to kill Chrome and Mukuro herself before everything comes crashing down like dominoes.

She can't bring herself to do anything though, disregarding the rules set in place for the Judge.

Despite everything...once upon a time, Cynthia loved Elena and Daemon.

Noriko...doesn't know if she still does.

(Oh, but she does, and she just doesn't want to admit it.)

 **Crush**

Noriko takes in the way Chrome blushes when she looks at Mukuro and the softness in Mukuro's smirk when he directs the look at Chrome.

Kami-sama, anyone with eyes should notice.

Still, in this time period, their relationship is close, dreadfully so, but platonic for the moment. Not quite verging on romantic, not truly.

She wonders how long it will last. Can last.

 **Boycott**

When Kyoko and Haru have had enough with being locked in the dark, when Chrome and Bianchi are exasperated with the rules set down, Noriko takes a neutral standpoint.

That is, until Kyoko and Haru decide that they're going to boycott.

The Choice begins in just a few days. This is _not_ the time for this.

Noriko sets her jaw and steps forward.

* * *

 **Chrome**

 _This is how she worries._

 **Friendly**

Reiki Noriko is anything but friendly towards Mukuro.

And as a result of that, Chrome can't bring herself to like the other girl for all that Noriko doesn't ever turn that dislike on Chrome.

Actually, it's more like Noriko doesn't really ever notice Chrome in the first place.

That's okay. Chrome's used to not being noticed, but Mukuro is her savior and her anchor, and Chrome can't forgive Noriko if she means Mukuro harm. She doesn't like to hurt other people, but she will if she has to.

Occasionally though, Chrome finds Noriko watching her, and there is something in those otherworldly blue eyes that says Noriko knows exactly what she's thinking.

And strangely, it's almost as if the blonde approves of her mindset.

 **Powerhouse**

"She's not what she seems," future Mukuro murmured to her. "She's not _who_ she seems. Darling Nagi, do try and keep my younger self from getting into trouble with that one. It'll be for the best."

Chrome believes in Mukuro's strength. He was the one who saved her, after all, the strongest person she knows, except perhaps Boss.

But this _is_ Mukuro's future self so...

Chrome keeps an eye on Noriko and doesn't understand. Yes, Noriko is Boss' best friend and a major part of the family, but even Boss tries to keep her from fighting. Is she really that strong?

True, there was that incident with Xanxus and the Varia, but...

 **Intervention**

Kyoko and Haru are sick of being kept oblivious of everything that is happening, and Chrome is inclined to agree with them even if it means a fight against the boys.

Then, Noriko cuts in, bright and firm and an echo of that terrible, terrible power that enveloped her back on the battlefield of the Vongola Rings.

"They're at as much risk as we are," she says, speaking directly to Boss though her words address them all. "They deserve to know if they're to risk their lives."

Kyoko and Haru go pale. Ryohei grits his teeth. Tsuna's eyes widen.

Chrome doesn't understand. It's clear that Noriko cares little for anyone else other than the famiglia - and even that is a stretch for the Mists - but more than that, not even the Sun protests when Boss explains everything to the girls.

Why is Noriko's word worth so much?

 **Advice**

"Chrome-chan." Noriko smiles, soft and gentle. "Be careful."

Silently, Chrome nods.

The Choice Battle is finally here.


	35. Showdown

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Showdown**

 _This is how they fare._

 **Ticket**

Tsuna would probably rather have Noriko somewhere else, but she's fine where she is. It helps that Kyoko and Haru are here as well, seeing as the rules that Byakuran have laid out are best left unbent.

Noriko personally thinks that it's for the best. For all that she would dearly love to Judge Byakuran at the moment, she cannot deny that she doesn't want to miss this.

For the briefest moment, when everyone has gathered, when everyone has activated their Vongola Box Weapons...

It's almost as if nothing has changed.

(Everything has changed.)

 **Referee**

When the Cervello arrive, Noriko does not react. It's just as well, for suddenly Reborn, Byakuran, Shoichi, and Mukuro are watching her either blatantly or from the corners of their eyes, gauging her expression.

She gives them nothing to go on. She may as well know nothing about the Cervello, and soon enough, they turn away, other matters calling for their attention.

Noriko catches the two referees' eyes when no one is looking. They nod, respectful and acknowledging, and it is only then that she turns away.

Foolish as her organization has been, even they cannot be so stupid as to judge unfairly right in front of the first and only true Arbiter.

 **Matches**

Noriko watches her family fight with a smile that doesn't disappear even when it's proclaimed that the Vongola have lost. Chrome casts her strange looks and Hayato grumbles at her, but she is thinking of past times, lounging under the sun and pulling a ragtag group together into a team and sparring while the waves crashed and the light burned.

Nostalgia hums in her heart, even as she makes a note to expose Tsuna to more illusions in the future when he stumbles from here to there without noticing the problem. From the annoyed twitch of Mukuro's eye, that sentiment is echoed.

Giotto never really had that problem, not when he had to stand firm through Daemon's worst hissy fits. Noriko pushes the thought away. Now isn't the time.

She doesn't care that they have lost. Not particularly, because her boys are safe and sound, despite her Sky's kicked-puppy look, and her Cloud's mildly homicidal look. They have not been injured too badly, not like the Ring Battles, and that is honestly the best outcome she could have foreseen.

The defeat doesn't bother her. The consequences do.

The Vongola Rings...they're her family's. They're _Vongola's,_ they're _Tsuna's_. Those heirlooms are pieces of her past, glimmering gems of love, life, and loss, and there is no way in hell Noriko will let Byakuran have them.

She is fully prepared to interfere when Shoichi's favor doesn't work. However, when a little girl in white clothes, an orange pacifier hanging from her neck, steps forward, it turns out that she doesn't have to.

 **Yuni**

Noriko is...uneasy on the subject of Yuni of the Giglio Nero Famiglia. She understands that Yuni has had strenuous situations, has been coerced or brainwashed or something like that, and she is not so far gone as to be unsympathetic or outraged, but...

Family is everything to Noriko. She let herself break - _Cynthia_ let herself break - when their family crumbled way back then, and ever since she has found Tsuna in this life, she has been steadily rebuilding their family.

Maybe they will never be what Cynthia had. Maybe they will never even be Vongola, never be the Decimo and his Guardians. Maybe, but this, what they have right now, fireworks in the sky and bickering at lunch and adventures in the woods, it's...enough for Noriko.

More than enough. If she can have this for the rest of this life, she will be content.

But...Yuni is the Boss of the Giglio Nero. She is their Sky, and she is willing to let them all die for the sake of the Greater Good, and Noriko cannot, will not, understand that, accept that, emphasize with that.

Tsuna can't either, she knows, despite his decision to take Yuni under his wing, and subsequently, the Vongola's protection. He values their family as much as she does, if a bit more obliviously and naively, and he has never had the heart to make such choices.

And maybe it is the correct choice, in the long run. The Moon knows of choosing the lesser evil, of being trapped between a stone and a hard place. She is the Judge, after all.

Still, even in the end, Cynthia chose her family, chose to spare Daemon.

It is a regret of Noriko's, but she thinks that if she could do it all over again, she would make the same terrible mistake.

 **Kawahira**

Noriko is not ashamed to admit that Kawahira unnerves her.

It is not his demeanor, so friendly that Tsuna, trusting as he is, finds nothing wrong with letting the white-haired man handle everything with his Hell Ring. It is not his mysterious abilities or unknown motives or suspicious deflections.

Her wariness stems from something more primal, more pure. This is not an individual Noriko _or_ Cynthia would wish to fight under most circumstances, and that...

That is a problem.

She lets Kawahira make his excuses and disappear without comment. When Hayato, of all people, turns to her with a concerned tilt to his head, she smiles comfortingly and helpfully redirects the conversation to future plans.

Tsuna dithers, Hayato and Takeshi start arguing, Mukuro smirks eerily while Kyoya's hand twitch for his tonfa, and Ryohei starts to shout something about extreme! Lambo sniffs and eats his candy, and Noriko turns to Reborn.

They exchange a look, on the same wavelength for once. As usual, Tsuna, the Decimo, their Sky, is their rallying point.

Kawahira is definitely someone to watch.


	36. Spector

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Spectors**

 _This is how they reunite._

 **Truth**

The others no doubt find it odd how, after all this time, Byakuran has never made a move to attack Noriko, only smiling away when she appears erratically and leaving her be instead of trying to hit her like that mole game.

He's shown no mercy, not for Tsuna, not for his Guardians, not for the Arcobaleno, not even for Shoichi and Spanner, so why spare Reiki Noriko?

No one says anything to her, but it's not necessary. Reborn's sharp glances are enough. Mukuro's eerie half-smirks speak for themselves. Tsuna's brown eyes are worried when they land on her, like he thinks Byakuran is holding back now so as to spring a major ambush in the future.

Noriko herself is frustrated and upset, but not concerned. Because, the truth is, Byakuran doesn't need to raise a finger to keep her from hindering the battles.

The Arbiter interferes if, and when, the battle is over. The identity and circumstances of the scenario do not matter. The outcome and consequences of the conflict do not register.

All that exists is the Judgment.

Even if it's Tsuna, even if it's Byakuran, even if this is sure to turn into a duel to the death, Noriko can do nothing but watch and wait.

 **Reinforcements**

When the Varia arrive, Noriko is perhaps the only one completely unharmed out of her family, mostly because the Funeral Wreaths have stayed away from her.

Perhaps the punishment for harming a Judge is harsh, too harsh for even them to chance.

That doesn't mean she isn't gritting her teeth and fighting not to jump into Hayato's fight. Two on one _again_!?

Xanxus frowns when he sees her, but grunts and turns away, teeth bared in a savage grin and guns held firmly in his hands.

"VOOIII! DON'T GET IN OUR WAY!" Squalo shouts in her face before whirling around to point his blade at Bluebell and Zakuro.

The rest of the Varia either ignore her, sneer at her, or nod to her.

(Strangely, none of them make any mention of her lack of participation. Ten years is a long time, and the future Kyoya knew of her true status. Maybe the Varia do as well.)

 **Freeze**

Noriko is fine throughout the battles with the Real Six Funeral Wreaths.

She is. Memories of explosions and near-saves and almost-deaths whisper to her, keeping her calm and watchful even as the Funeral Wreaths are defeated one after one.

It's nearing the end that she begins to panic.

Yuni has been pulled into the fight. Byakuran has erected a barrier with the Tri-ni-set. Tsuna is going to suffocate very, very soon.

Noriko is ready to pull out her hair when the Vongola Rings start glowing.

And then she all but turns to stone.

 **Impressions**

A long, long time ago, Cynthia watched her family engrave their Wills and Flames into the Vongola Rings.

 _Why?_ she asked.

Giotto laughed, warm and knowing. _For the generations to come,_ he said _, so that we might guide them in times of strife._

 _You're an incorrigible idealist,_ Daemon scowled but his eyes were warm. It was why they all followed Giotto, of course. _This is only so we can tell whomever our descendants may be that they're making terrible mistakes._

Ugetsu laughed. _Don't be so pessimistic,_ he urged brightly. _I'm sure the Vongola will be fine._

 _Who came up with that ridiculous name again?_ Alaude grumbled.

G. promptly pointed at Giotto, who grinned nervously. _It sounded like a good idea at the time._

Lampo just cowered on the floor at the reminder of that particular adventure.

 _I think 'Vongola' is a very ultimate name!_ Knuckle exclaimed loyally.

Cynthia heaved a sigh but smiled indulgently. _Well, don't let me stop you._

Noriko should have known it would come back to bite her.

 **Nightmares**

She doesn't ever mention it to her friends, and after the first few years, she has grown more than adept enough to hide it from her parents, and so no one truly knows the nightmares that plague Noriko in the dark.

It's not unexpected. Though Cynthia died with peace in her heart, it was a bloody, painful death. The only reason the Moon accepted it was because her Sky and his Elements had left for the other world already and she wished to join them.

The First Generation of Vongola died young.

It hadn't been Daemon Spade's doing, surprisingly enough. The wave of assassins and hitmen sent after them had been the combined efforts of every single enemy Vongola had ever made during its short tenure under Giotto.

Cynthia never knew whether or not the Mist would have attempted to aid them. There hadn't been enough time, hadn't been enough warning. He might never have known, not before it was too late.

They were powerful, yes. But even their power had limits, and without the Vongola Rings...

Well.

As the Judge, she died last, excluding Daemon. And by that point, Cynthia was ready to die.

Noriko dreams of blood and tears, fear and despair, vendetta and vengeance.

There is running and hiding and fighting, word of deaths all over the world reaching her slowly but surely, draining away a little of her will to live each and every time.

Giotto was the one who was murdered before her. He stashed his wife and son away first before purposefully drawing out the men sent to kill him and dying alone on a plain of ice and red.

Noriko privately believes that this is the reason her future self was so, so very useless after the future Vongola Decimo was "killed."

 **Orange**

Noriko looks up, through the transparent barrier, past Tsuna and Byakuran, and meets Giotto's eyes for the first time in several centuries.


	37. End

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **End**

 _This is how they close the book._

 **Smile**

Giotto can't stay long. Or rather, the spirit of Giotto can't stay long. He gently encourages Tsuna, unlocks the Vongola Rings, and is gone.

But not before he glances up and locks gazes with Noriko. Not before he smiles that devastatingly familiar, impossibly beautiful smile of times begone, and not before she sees the recognition in his eyes and feels every last one of her walls crack simultaneously.

It's not fair. It's just...

Noriko closes her eyes briefly and has to remind herself that the others are watching. Reborn, Mukuro, Xanxus, and Kyoya are already suspicious. They don't need any more ammunition.

It's almost a relief when the Eclipse pulls at her. She goes willingly and lets herself submerge under the implacability of the Cervello Founder.

 **Loss**

The Arbiter can't Judge anyone who is still up and fighting. It's not her job to force an opponent into submission, but those that lose - they are the ones that fall under her jurisdiction.

With Tsunayoshi of the Vongola standing tall before a kneeling Byakuran of the Millefiore, furious at the loss of Yuni and Gamma of Giglio Nero, the full power of the Vongola Ring of the Sky flowing through him, it is clear who the winner is.

Byakuran knows it, too, for he smiles, mocking even in defeat, and raises his head to look straight at her.

Sawada Tsunayoshi is waiting, the final blow held back despite Sun Arcobaleno Reborn's pointed statements and the disdainful scoffs of the Leader of the Varia, Xanxus. His Hyper Intuition knows the final decision is not meant to come from him.

The Judge embraces a veil of silver, turning the world at once luminescent and lackluster, too sharp and all the more transparent for it. Her focus spirals down to the two contestants, the Vongola Sky and the Mare Sky, and she takes a step forward. Then another.

She is oblivious to the tense regard of those she leaves behind her when she slips past the barrier, easy as breathing.

Sawada Tsunayoshi turns to her without removing his fist from an inch from Byakuran's head, those eyes alight with the Hyper Dying Will Mode betraying no surprise, only firm resolve. "Nori-chan."

The Judge stops a meter from both combatants. There is no fear on Byakuran's face.

He knew, she thinks distantly. Of course he knew that this might be the conclusion to this entire conflict.

"Byakuran of the Millefiore Famiglia," she says, words hard and heavy with the surety behind them, the knowledge that what she ordains is exactly what _will_ happen. "You have killed innocent people and destroyed worlds for your own selfish desires. You have attempted to recreate the universe in your image and failed."

Silence reigns supreme in the clearing. Not even the birds are singing, the world itself holding its breath.

"You have declared war on the Vongola Famiglia and been defeated," she states, and this is the important part, this is why she has the ability to pass Judgment on him. His power has been annihilated, his empire has been demolished, all that is left is for the king to lose his crown. "What will be your last words?"

Byakuran merely laughs and spreads his arms and wings wide. "Do your worst, Nori-chan," he taunts, purple eyes calm and steady. "Give me what I deserve~"

The Judge reaches out a hand without a word. Sawada Tsunayoshi has the sense to back away, a frown on his lips, but it is far past the time for interference of any kind. The very tip of her pointer finger touches Byakuran's forehead, barely a graze, but it's enough.

It's more than enough.

"Hell is a fitting punishment," she whispers as Byakuran collapses backwards with a flare of silver light and dissolves into black feathers that scatter in the wind, the barrier fracturing at last with the disappearance of the Mare Sky, "for a fallen angel such as you."

 **Moonlight**

She burns.

For someone who Reborn claims has no Flames, Nori _burns_ , so bright that it almost hurts to look at her, but even if Tsuna were to close his eyes, he thinks that it would be impossible to be ignorant of her presence because the wash of light would turn the inside of his eyelids white instead of black.

She burns like the full moon at midnight, like the only source of light in a sky of darkness, and it's almost terrifying.

After Byakuran is gone - and he honestly has no idea what his best friend has done to his former arch-nemesis - Nori remains motionless. The light that comes off of her in waves is brighter, harsher than back during the Ring Battles, and Tsuna -

Tsuna doesn't know what to do.

Instinctively, he knows that she is far deeper in an Eclipse than she ever has been, and on some level, that makes him uneasy. With the way their lives have been going, they aren't going to get a break and things are just going to get worse, even worse than a world-destroying, stone-cold psychopath, and what will happen to her then?

What if one day Nori goes so far, Tsuna won't be able to call her back?

Tsuna swallows hard. "Nori-chan," he calls with more confidence than he feels. No response. "Nori-chan, he's" - _dead -_ "gone. You can stop now. Everything's over."

She turns to look at him silently.

" _Nori-chan_ ," Tsuna says, and it is the first time he has used such a tone on Noriko, though he has done it before on Gokudera, and even Hibari, " _That's enough."_

Nori blinks at him. Half a second later, the silver around her vanishes, and she pitches forward bonelessly.

Squeaking, Tsuna catches her just in time and starts panicking.


	38. Spirits

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Spirits**

 _This is how they reconcile._

 **Hindsight**

Looking back, it wasn't Noriko's best idea to disconnect from the Eclipse so quickly and so rapidly. When she awakes at last, her powers are near depleted, and she feels like an overcooked noodle.

On the other hand, by the time she is up and running, the fuss is mostly over so it's probably not all bad. Also, well, apparently, it's enough time for ghosts to get their ghostly lives together and settle things once and for all.

 **Manifestation**

Upon being awakened by the call of their current successors, the spirits imprinted in the Vongola Rings have the ability to manifest themselves and move about of their own free will.

If Noriko forgot this, she is hastily reminded when she wakes up to the transparent phantom of Giotto hovering over a chair beside her bed, staring at a magazine on feminine fashion. One of Bianchi's probably, but -

"...you idiot," Cynthia says, coughing.

He glances up sharply and frowns when she makes a feeble attempt to sit up. "Easy there," Giotto fusses, drifting closer, arms extended like he wants to try and help but knows that it's no use. "You were out for three days."

"Giotto." She stares flatly at him until he stops scowling at the sheets and cringes back uncertainly. "You absolute _idiot_."

He has the grace to smile apologetically. "Sorry?"

"You're a moron," she informs him, eyes flashing. "A stupid, naive, altruistic, gullible, dumb, self-destructive - "

"I'm sorry!" he yelps, holding his hands up.

There's a heartbeat of silence while they just _look_ at each other.

"I'm sorry," Giotto echoes earnestly. He peers at her, eyes soft with concern and affection both, regret lending a hard edge to his mouth. "I'm so sorry, Cynthia. I never meant to leave you alone for so long."

"You did," she says, and it's almost accusatory. No, it _is_ denunciatory, because - "It's been _centuries_ , Giotto. Centuries, and I woke up and - "

 _You weren't here. None of you were here._

"I know," he whispers helplessly. "I know, I'm so sorry..."

And that's all Giotto can repeat consolingly while Cynthia finally breaks down in tears.

 **Abstain**

Tsuna knows that Reborn is all but dying to know what, who Noriko is.

He knows that he should probably be really concerned because these Eclipses and Judgments are definitely wearing on his best friend, and would someone - most likely Nori herself - _please_ explain to him what the silver light is?

He knows all of these things, but -

"Good afternoon, Nori-chan," he greets quietly, the door swinging shut behind him. He's riding the assured wave of his Hyper-Intuition, but it still takes most of Tsuna's self-control to not flinch when Nori looks at him with bloodshot eyes.

She smiles, and to his relief, it seems genuine, if tired and sad. "Hey, Tsuna." Putting the book she was reading on the bedside table, Nori pats the edge of the bed in invitation. "How's it going? Has another megalomaniac popped up while I wasn't looking?"

Tsuna shudders. "No, thank God. I don't think I'll be able to take any more." It's said in part humor and part truth, and he thinks she's aware of that as he sits down. He hesitates, twisting his hands, and blurts out, "Are you okay?"

She blinks at him and smiles brightly after a long moment. "What? Did you change your mind about the tsunami surfing?"

"Nori-chan!" he yells, eyes growing alarmingly wide.

Noriko laughs, and Tsuna can almost believe that everything is alright.

Almost. But when he leaves half an hour later so she can take a nap, not a single word about her abilities has escaped his lips.

 **Magenta**

"He's Giotto's descendant," is G.'s first comment.

Cynthia continues running the comb through her wet hair. "Yes."

He nods and doesn't pursue the topic further. It's not as if he was - _is -_ Giotto's Right-Hand Man for nothing.

G. has always been the most devoted of all of them.

"Do they know?" he asks instead.

"No." She pauses and looks at him, gaze steady and unyielding. "And you won't tell them." It comes out as a statement rather than a question.

G. hums, thoughtful. "No, I guess I won't." He floats to his feet and pins her with a look that contains the weight of the world. "You'll make sure they're happy and safe," he states.

 _Like we weren't. Like we couldn't be._

Cynthia doesn't look away. "Of course."

 **Karma**

"What did you to Byakuran?" The brim of Reborn's hat covers his eyes, but the whisper of menace is unmistakable, and Noriko nearly laughs.

"Does it matter?"

The corners of his lips turn down. "Noriko. What did you _do_?"

She smiles and leans back, closing her eyes. "I did exactly what he asked me to do."

Silence with Tsuna is comfortable. Silence with Kyoya is familiar. Silence with Reborn is agony.

"I gave him what he deserved."

 **Flute**

"You've been straining yourself," Ugetsu scolds gently, tapping her on the head with a ghostly flute. She doesn't feel it, but apparently, it's the thought that counts. "We've talked about this, Cynthia."

The blonde sighs, moving through some easy stretches.

When she doesn't reply immediately, he tilts his head, reconsidering. "Or it is Reiki Noriko now?"

"Call me Cynthia," she says, because there isn't enough time in her life for identity complexes. "And you know how the Eclipses are." Much better than her current, _alive_ family does, anyhow.

Ugetsu smiles serenely. "Maybe so," he concedes, "but you should still rest up afterwards. It's barely been two days and you're already preparing for more combat."

"It's the Mafia," she says simply.


	39. Present

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Present**

 _This is how they return._

 **Order**

When Alaude prowls into her room seconds after Kyoko and Haru have left with outpourings of well-wishing and get-well-soons, Cynthia doesn't so much as raise an eyebrow.

"You," he starts off, hard and curt, "have been negligent."

Some part of her thinks that perhaps she should be hurt or upset. But she isn't, because if there's one thing that Alaude and Cynthia have always had in common, it's justice and duty. "How?"

"The baby Sky's Mist," is all he has to say before she understands. " _Both_ of them."

"...he needed a Mist for the Ring Battles," she says, and it's not so much as an excuse to Alaude as it is an apology to Tsuna. Her shoulders fall, exhaustion suddenly hovering a mere breath away.

Alaude looks terribly unimpressed. "Are you telling me that out of all of the Mists you could have chosen, you decided to settle with _that_?" He somehow manages to convey an entire universe of contempt though his face never changes.

"He's powerful," she states flatly. "One of the most powerful Mists in the world...and Tsuna deserves the best. Besides, Mukuro isn't _that_ bad."

Half a second after the words leave her lips, Cynthia wonders when she went insane. Is she honestly defending _Mukuro_ to _Alaude_?

From the twitch of his eyebrow, Alaude echoes her thoughts. He sighs. "Be more careful this time around. You've always been regrettably soft when it comes to - "

 **Machine**

"So we can get back to the past using this machine?"

Noriko leans against the wall and smiles vaguely. She's glad. The activation of the Vongola Rings, the reappearance of the First Generation, the defeat of Byakuran - those were all good things. Excellent.

But she thinks that she needs a little time to herself, just to get her head on straight.

Tsuna's not the only who's openly worried. Hayato frowns at her sometimes, green eyes shadowed, and Takeshi is nowhere near as oblivious as he pretends to be. Ryohei has been distracted recently, but Kyoya and Mukuro...

Well. Noriko has been trying to avoid them for a reason.

And then there's Reborn. So.

Maybe she'll propose a scavenger hunt when they get back. And scatter the items all over the forests surrounding Namimori. That sounds like a good idea.

 **Candy**

"I miss the taste of candy," Lampo says abruptly, splayed out on the floor carelessly.

"...do you?"

"Yeah." He pauses and turns onto his side, frowning a little. "Neh, Cynthia?"

She knows that tone. Knows that she won't like what comes next. After Giotto, she was the one who reigned Lampo in most of the time. "Yes?"

"Was it difficult?" Lampo bites his bottom lip. "Was it painful?"

Cynthia smiles, humorless. "When I died? Or when I woke up?"

He flinches. "Both...?" As an imprint of the Lightning Guardian, it's doubtful that he remembers his own death.

She stares blindly at her hands and thinks of blood pooling beneath her, the loneliness in the howling wind. Remembers dancing through a familiar and unfamiliar world with memories of times begone, whispers of a family dead and dreams of a shattered wish.

"Yes," Noriko murmurs. "It was difficult. And...it was painful."

 **Time Warp**

"Thank you for everything," Shoichi says and smiles.

"Goodbye." Tsuna smiles back.

"Time warp, start!" The button is pressed...and then they are gone.

 **Home**

"Nori-chan! There you are!" Kiku smiles distractedly at her daughter and hands the dazed girl the newspaper. "Did you see the news?"

"I..." Noriko shakes her head and manages to dredge up a smile. "No, I haven't. Did something happen?" Even as she is talking, she is unfolding the newspaper.

"There's been earthquakes around the world." Worry lines the older woman's brow. "I hope no one's been hurt too badly..."

Oh. It's probably from them coming back from the future. Noriko scans the newspaper and notes that there's a mention of some students transferring from Simon Middle School to Namimori because it's an earthquake-prone area.

Simon...

She frowns. "I do, too."

 **Misgivings**

"Do you remember Cozarto Simon and his Famgilia?" Cynthia asks Knuckle.

"I ultimately do!" The boxer pauses. "Why do you ask?"

She blows out a long breath, rubbing at her temples. "It's been centuries," she says. "I know how the Vongola have fared, but the Simon Famiglia has, as far as I can tell, remained in the shadows.

"After _that_ fight, they went into hiding. We helped them fake their own deaths, and that oath they made to the Vindice..." She bites her lip, pacing her bedroom in frustration.

"Cynthia." Knuckle's frowning now. "What's wrong?"

"I don't _know_ ," she forces out, shaking her head. "I don't know, I just - "

Cynthia closes her eyes. "I just have a bad feeling."

"Your intuition tends to be right," he points out.

"I know. I know; that's what I'm afraid of." She feels like she's going to shake out of her skin. It's too much, everything's happening too fast, with Byakuran and then the First Generation, and now the Simon!?

Cynthia shoves her hands through her long hair and takes a deep breath. Her eyes burn.

"Do you want to talk to Daemon?" Knuckle asks, soft.

"No." Her answer comes much too fast, and he gives her a knowing look. She ignores it.

"No," Cynthia repeats firmly. "I want to talk to Giotto."

She wants to believe that she's just being paranoid, that this is only a coincidence, but Noriko very much doubts it.

 **Vials**

"Before the Vongola and the Simon split, you exchanged something with Cozarto," Cynthia states. "What was it?"

Giotto's gaze is solemn. "Sin," he says, "and Penalty. My blood...and his."

"Where are they now?"

"I gave..."


	40. Return

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Return**

 _This is how he comes back._

 **Similarities**

The very first time Noriko spots the transfer students, she knows her faint hopes were in vain.

If Tsuna and his Elements are the second-coming of the Primo and his Guardians, then these children are definitely the second-coming of Cozarto and his Famiglia.

Absently, she wonders if there's a possibly that everyone has been reincarnated, but she's just the only who retains her memories.

 **Differences**

Cozarto and Giotto were depressingly good friends. Depressingly as in Cozarto was good enough friends with Giotto that he succeeded in convincing the blond that it was best to let Daemon go.

Cynthia has ever regretted letting that decision lie.

But she has never begrudged the two their friendship.

Now, Noriko watches the remnants of the Simon Famiglia, tastes their animosity in the air, and frowns.

 **Takeover**

Suzuki Adelheid really does remind Noriko of Cozarto's Glacier. Well, the lovely noirette was far more mellow when Cynthia knew her, but that was after she had already had two children.

That passion though...that devotion...that has remained unchanged throughout all these long years.

Although, Noriko doubts Kyoya appreciates it at the moment.

Preoccupied as she remains with her thoughts, Noriko is nonetheless aware of Tsuna's concerned glances, Hayato's thoughtful frowns, Takeshi's innocuous invitations, Ryohei's extreme assurances, and Kyoya's suspicious eyes.

If it's possible, Reborn seems even more watchful than before.

Noriko can admit that her recent behavior has been a bit...off. Yet even the Moon needs to hide its light away for a little while. The New Moon doesn't last long, shouldn't last long.

She listens to her too-frantic heartbeat, winces at her pounding headache, and quietly excuses herself.

 **Unease**

When Noriko first meets Katou Julie, she doesn't even know what's wrong. He looks like a regular, laid-back boy, if rather lazy and creepy.

Perhaps it's because she knows his Flame, Desert, is compatible with Mist. Perhaps it's because she knew his ancestor, knew how cunning and sly that man was.

Whatever it is, she is quietly, intensely uncomfortable the entire time he's around. His presence prickles at her senses, at her memory. There's something wrong, there's something oh-so-very wrong, what's wrong - ?!

Noriko hides in the shadows and tries not to panic.

 **Ceremony**

The Ninth is pressuring Tsuna to go through the Inheritance Ceremony. But -

"I don't want to be a mafia boss, Nori-chan!" he wails into the phone.

"Then don't go," she advises simply, struggling to hold on to her patience. After all of this, he still hasn't found his backbone? What is wrong with him -

As soon as thethought passes through her mind, Noriko freezes. What is wrong with _her_? She's acting utterly out-of-character, and Kami-sama, when was the last time she lost her temper?

Much less lost her temper at _her Sky_?

Noriko presses a hand to her forehead, the cold against hot soothing. She struggles not to gasp for breath, struggles to keep her breathing slow and even. She just wants to sleep.

"Nori-chan? Are you okay?" Tsuna's voice seems to come from far away, too far away.

He sounds worried, and she gathers together the last vestiges of her control to pitch her voice cheerful and casual. "Tsuna, Kaa-chan's calling me. Let's talk later, okay?"

"...okay. Be safe, alright?"

"Alright."

 **Laugh**

"My dear Noriko, you wouldn't happen to know the identity of our mysterious benefactor, would you?" Mukuro's sitting at her table again. This time, however, he's angry.

Not obviously, no, of course not. But she has practice, years and years of practice in reading unreadable Mists, and she can see the strain in his smirk, the fury that simmers behind his heterochromatic eyes.

Noriko frowns at him. "Mysterious benefactor?"

"Yes. Someone's been kind" - his smirk twists, becomes an ugly sneer - "enough to leave food for us recently."

A shiver runs down her back. Pressing her intertwined fingers to her lips, she says, "One of the transfer students."

Mukuro's eyes narrow. "The Simon?" His disdain is cutting. "They're weak."

"No. No, they aren't." She rises out of her seat and moves to stand by the window. The air seems thin all of a sudden. She refuses to acknowledge the weight of his stare on her back.

"Kufufufu, and why would you know that?"

"I - " Noriko stiffens and whirls around. Something falls into place. That one chess piece with the ability to change the sway of the game completely. "Do that again," she demands.

He looks openly startled for a moment before he plasters a mockingly inquisitive expression on his face. "Do _what_ again, dear Nori-chan?"

She brushes aside the nickname, mind in chaos. No. No, it can't be, _it can't be_ \- "Laugh."

"Oya, oya, if you're such a big fan, you should have said so sooner - "

" _Mukuro_." Noriko stares at him, on the edge of desperation and on the brink of crying. "Please."

He blinks back at her. And forces a laugh.

 **Trip**

"Kaa-chan, we're taking a field trip for the next two weeks, okay?"

"That sounds lovely, Nori-chan! Where to?"

"Oh, into some of the forests and mountains nearby. They're going to teach us how to survive in the wild."

"Are there going to be tents and fireplaces, that sort of thing?"

"Mmm, something like that, Tou-chan. We might even have marshmallows! Oh, but it's only my club, so Tsuna and the others aren't going to know. If they ask, just tell them I'm off visiting Aunt Miyako."

"Why not tell them the truth?"

"Kaa-chan! They might be jealous and get mad at me!"

"Hahaha, all right, Nori-chan."

"I'll be leaving tomorrow morning."


	41. Haunt

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Haunt**

 _This is what was._

 **Italy**

The first thing Noriko does is book a plane to Italy. She doesn't bother using false identities or concealing her paper trail. There's no point.

As for the money, well, she's been building a decent amount in a bank account she convinced her parents to open when she was five.

On the plane, Noriko leans back against her uncomfortable seat and rubs at her temples. Some part of her knows that she's being irrational, stupid. The rest of her doesn't care.

 _"Be more careful this time around. You've always been regrettably soft when it comes to - "_

"I know," she whispers to herself, so soft she almost can't hear herself. "I _know_."

Noriko closes her eyes and dreams.

 **Flame**

Cynthia is born the third daughter of the Boss of the Cervello Famiglia and a powerful Countess. Her older sisters are natural powerhouses, burning Suns.

"I don't know what happened," her father murmurs when he thinks Cynthia can't hear him. "The tutors say that she's not a Sun at all."

Her mother wrings her hands. "I'm so sorry," she says like it's her fault. "Is there any way we can change - "

"No, Flame Type is innate." Her father frowns thoughtfully. "Our doctors think it's some kind of peculiarity."

"A peculiarity? Like Miss Sarah's shape-shifting?"

"Yes. She doesn't have any _Flames_ at all."

"Then what...what's that silver light? What can she do?"

"They don't know yet. It's something new. Something this world has never seen before. They're calling her a Moon."

 **Elena**

Cynthia meets Elena at a ball when they're both ten. Or rather, she's reading a book in the corner when a shadow falls over her.

"Psst!" A pretty girl with blonde hair and blue eyes smiles brightly at her. "That's a good book."

Cynthia blinks. "...it is."

"I'm Elena," she says, holding out a hand. "What's your name?"

"...Cynthia."

"You have beautiful hair," Elena compliments, smiling at the locks of pale pink that her mother considers an eyesore and her sisters think of as babyish. "Can I braid it?"

Cynthia wrinkles her forehead, hesitant. "...okay?"

Elena beams. "Excellent!" Completely disregarding her expensive gold dress, the other girl falls to the floor beside her and begins to comb her hands through her hair.

And, somehow, in-between discussing good literature, lamenting strict fathers, and braiding each others' hair, they become best friends.

Centuries later, and Noriko still isn't quite sure how it happened.

 **Destruction**

When Cynthia is fourteen, a rival famiglia has had enough of her father's contempt and dismissals. It's pure luck that she is at Elena's mansion that night, indulging in the first sleepover her parents have allowed.

The rest of the relatively small Cervello Famiglia isn't nearly so lucky. In the span of eight hours, Cynthia becomes an orphan.

Cynthia cries into Elena's shoulder. Upon hearing of the circumstances, the Duke and Duchess are gracious enough to allow their daughter's best friend to stay with them until she is ready to leave.

Weeks later, when the allies of the former Cervello Famiglia drag the Boss responsible for the destruction of her Famiglia in front of her and force him onto his knees, Cynthia casts her first Judgment.

 **Vigilantes**

Cynthia finds her Sky in charismatic, accepting Giotto. Elena finds her life's purpose in the rising, developing Vongola.

They both have their respective talents.

At seventeen, Cynthia's powers have grown to the point that she has become widely known as an impartial and fair Arbiter throughout Italy.

Elena connects with the people they seek to help, heart to heart, all but overflowing with compassion. The children flock to her, the adults confess to her.

 **Meeting**

"Oh, Cynthia, you won't believe who I met at the ball today." Elena sighs dreamily, hands clasped to her chest.

"The love of your life," Cynthia deadpans.

Elena blushes crimson and throws a pillow at her. "Cynthia!"

"What? From the look on your face, I'd say I was right." She dodges the pillow.

"Daemon is _not_ the love of my life."

"Not yet." Cynthia smiles knowingly.

She gets another pillow thrown at her for her efforts. "It's not like that," Elena huffs. "It's just...I've never met another person who shares my beliefs so _much_. Even you don't, and you're my best friend!"

Cynthia laughs. "I'm the Judge, Elena, I can't be biased."

"I know, I know."

"Introduce me later," she suggests, penning a letter to Giotto. "I'll have to do the customary don't-you-dare-hurt-her routine."

"We're not even courting!"

"Whatever you say..."

 **Headquarters**

Noriko jolts awake with a gasp and promptly winces as the jack-hammering in her head resumes. This headache is going to develop into a migraine soon.

Before leaving the airport, she ducks into the women's bathroom and splashes water on her face. After the tear-tracks are no longer visible, she walks out and hails a cab.

"Where to?"

The address slips off her tongue easily. She doesn't hesitate for a second.

Fifty minutes later, Noriko pays her driver and steps out. Her smile is easy, natural. No one questions her presence as she begins to walk down the busy streets. Over two blocks, a turn to the left, forward for five blocks, and around the corner.

It's warm, here, much warmer than Namimori.

A breeze blows back her hair, platinum instead of rose. In the store windows, her eyes are blue-grey, not silver. Her skin is pale, not almost pearly, like it was in Cynthia's last years. She wears a simple blue sundress rather than flowing white robes.

Noriko stops a block away from the Vongola Headquarters. And she smiles coldly.


	42. Missing

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Missing**

 _This is how they find out._

 **Engaged**

They're all rather preoccupied.

Tsuna's trying to become friends with Enma, Hayato's trying to figure out Shitopi-chan, Takeshi's trying to teach Kaoru baseball, Ryohei's trying to fight Koyo, Kyoya's trying to get rid of Adelheid, and Chrome and Mukuro are trying to avoid Julie.

There's that, and Noriko left on a Saturday.

Hence, it takes some time for any of them to notice she is missing. And by the time they find out...

 **Worry**

Tsuna's been worried over Nori for a while now. It started back in the Future, with the Choice Battles looming over them. Noriko was...distant then, always there but lurking in the back, watching but not participating.

Part of that, he knows, is because, with all of the insistence on Box Weapons, they were alienating her. Nori doesn't have Flames, doesn't have those defenses, so Tsuna tried to keep her safe by telling her to stay out of the battles.

And, then, after that final Eclipse with Byakuran, Nori was distracted. Sad and inattentive and melancholic. He didn't know why, and he was afraid to ask. She was bedridden for most of their remaining time in the future, and when they came back -

Well, as soon as they came back, there was the Simon Famiglia and the Inheritance Ceremony, and Tsuna's just been caught up in trying to get everything figured out. It doesn't help that there was an actual assassin sent after him, and...

...and these are all just really bad excuses.

Because the more truthful version is that Nori's been avoiding him, and Tsuna's been letting her. The more truthful version is that Nori's been acting weird, been shifty-eyed and almost-but-not-quite _cold_ , and Tsuna's been scared of reaching out and getting rejected by his best friend.

The truth is, Tsuna doesn't know what to do.

Noriko's always been strong. Stronger than Tsuna, always stronger than Tsuna, if not physically than mentally. When he was a crybaby on the playgrounds, she chased his bullies away. When he was terrified of talking to others, she pulled in friends. When he was faced with battles and potential death, she told him it was going to be okay.

Tsuna doesn't think he's _ever_ seen Nori cry. Doesn't think he's ever seen her distraught and uncertain and lost, not even when the Varia came, not even when they were stuck in the Future with Byakuran.

She makes everything look easy, simple. She's never been anything but a constant source of light and comfort, never ever turned any of them away. She's affectionate and doting, and they've all been taking it for granted.

Noriko's never been anywhere near overwhelmed and exhausted, and now that she's on the verge of acting like she _is_ , Tsuna doesn't know what to do.

 **Absent**

It's halfway into the first class of the day when Tsuna abruptly realizes that Noriko's seat is empty. He should have noticed sooner, but she's been quiet these past few days...weeks...and he's been thinking about his talk with Enma about being bosses.

Tsuna frowns, his Hyper Intuition stirring uneasily. He'll give Nori a call later, he decides. Maybe she's just sick or something.

When he finally does get the chance to call at lunch, he's informed that her phone is off.

Tsuna bites his lip, but shakes his worries off.

 _It's Nori-chan_ , he justifies to himself. _She's probably off on some crazy adventure or something._

And he ignores the voice that whispers she hasn't done that since Reborn showed up.

 **Check**

Noriko's absent on Tuesday, too. Tsuna shifts in his seat, taps his fingers on his desk, and worries for the entire school day, even more confused by the material than normal because he's too busy thinking up worse-case scenarios.

"Juudaime? Where are you going?" Hayato asks after school when Tsuna doesn't take his normal route home.

"Nori-chan's been absent for the past two days," Tsuna says. "Her phone's off, too, so I'm going to drop by her house and see if she's okay."

"Sounds good!" Takeshi smiles and throws an arm around his shoulder, but his eyes are sharp. "But, hey, it's unusual for Nori to turn her cell phone off."

Hayato frowns, snapping his mouth shut rather than going on a rant about Takeshi intruding on Tsuna's personal space. "That's...weird."

"What is?" Tsuna really does feel uneasy about this whole thing now.

"Hitmen sometimes go after the subordinates instead of shooting directly for the boss," Hayato explains. "I would expect them to go after a Guardian...but you've never publicly claimed Noriko-san for your Famiglia at all. "

"Hieee!" Tsuna freaks out. "You mean Nori-chan might have gotten attacked!?" He breaks into an all-out sprint, not even bothering to apologize to the people on the street he almost runs over.

"It was just a thought, Juudaime!" Hayato yells apologetically, only a step behind him with Takeshi frowning uncharacteristically.

Tsuna skids to a stop in front of Noriko's house and knocks three times in quick succession. He braces himself on his knees and pants for breath, heart thudding a mile an hour, eyes wide with dread.

Come on, come on, come on...!

The door opens. "Oh. Good afternoon, Tsuna-kun," Kiku greets. "Are you alright?"

Tsuna breathes a heartfelt sigh of relief, all but melting into the sidewalk. "I'm fine, Kiku-san," he gasps out. "May I see Nori-chan?"

"I'm sorry, but she's visiting her Aunt right now, Tsuna-kun."

"...what?"

 **Records**

Reborn says blandly, "She took a plane to Italy four days ago."

"WHAT!?"


	43. Blood

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Blood**

 _This is what she wants._

 **Call**

Cynthia was there when this building was constructed. She saw the blueprints; she watched it soar. Before Daemon's betrayal, before Japan, she walked the hallways, laughed in the dining hall, slept in that bedroom.

Times have changed the Vongola Headquarters, of course. Modern technology and strategies, including security systems, security guards, and security cameras, await her.

Normal civilians and trained professionals alike would find it near impossible to breach this mansion.

Cynthia circles around the compound and stands in front of the West Wing, near the back. She grabs the disposable phone she bought at the nearby convenience store and dials a number.

A minute later, a door appears before her. Exactly where it was created several centuries ago.

"Welcome home," the Cervello says with a deep bow.

 **Blackout**

"Not. One. Word." Cynthia commands, eyes glowing silver and hair blowing in a nonexistent breeze. Her organization may have grown, may have prospered, but she remains the one true Moon.

Heads dip in acquiescence and respect. This is a branch of the mansion that belongs solely to the Cervello, has remained a secret among their numbers and the current Vongola Boss. And the Ninth is preoccupied at the moment.

"Where is it?"

 **Safe**

Cynthia knows each and every last one of the passageways that dot the Vongola Mansion. Some are well-used, some are well-known, but the majority of them have been buried beneath time and secrecy.

It doesn't matter much to her.

One such corridor beneath the mansion leads directly into the Boss of the Vongola's room.

In the dead midst of the night, Cynthia calmly presses a section of the wall and a stone sinks in. The wall slides open, and she steps into the opulent room. It takes exactly three seconds to spot the safe.

She considers it and thinks of her options.

 **Time**

In the early morning, Talbot walks into his living room and hears a terribly familiar voice.

"Talbot. It's been a very long time."

Talbot halts and then sighs. Hobbling over to the table where she sits, he settles his old bones down and says, "Lady Cynthia. It certainly has been a very long time."

"Who told you?"

"The Sky...the Sky..." Talbot smiles ruefully. "Who else but the Sky." All of the Vongola Rings whisper to him always, but it was the Primo who first murmured that the Moon would be visiting.

"Of course." He hears the smile in her voice, as well as the sadness. A tender hand touches him gently on the cheek.

"Ahhh, Lady Cynthia, time has been kind to me," Talbot comforts. "Do not be so troubled. Things are as they always were. You may be a beautiful young lady and I may be an old, blind man, but you are the Vongola Moon and I am the Metal Craftsman."

She sighs. In the distance, his sheep baa and then there is a jingle. "Your work has always been the best."

He reaches out and smiles at the warm metal weight that is pressed into his hand. "All these years and I have always considered these my very best," he says, clicking the pocket watch open.

"You know why I'm here, Talbot," Cynthia says, voice solemn.

"...yes. Yes, I do."

 **Coma**

"My lady, there have been rumors," one of the two Cervello who approach her says.

Cynthia frowns. "What rumors?"

She exchanges a glance with her partner. "They say the Decimo's Rain Guardian has been critically injured," she reveals quietly.

Cynthia goes very, very still. "How injured?"

"...he's in a coma."

Her eyes flare silver.

 **Doubt**

She turns and twists in bed that night, unable to fall asleep, not with the doubt that plagues her mind.

Is she Cynthia or Noriko? Is she Giotto's most valued confidant or Tsuna's best friend? Is she a woman in her thirties or is she a teenager? Is she alive or dead?

Should she have left?

Should she have said something to someone other than Mukuro?

Should she have confronted That Man immediately?

Should she have told the others about her past before leaving?

Should she have kept it hidden at all?

Is she doing the right thing? Is she doing the wrong thing?

 _Could she have prevented this?_

 **Blue**

Maybe it's the setting. Maybe it's the day.

Whatever the reason is, when she falls asleep at last, she dreams of the first time she met Daemon

A man with blue hair and blue eyes in a blue outfit smiles at her. "You must be Cynthia Cervello," he says. "I've heard a lot about you."

"Likewise, Daemon Spade," she responds evenly. "What do you think of Elena's dress today?"

"It's beautiful, but then, Elena is, and always will be, beautiful," Daemon says smoothly.

Cynthia's smile is bland. "And mine?"

He makes a point of taking a step back and giving her a once-over. "Lovely," he decides. "A perfect complement to Elena's."

 _But you're only lovely as a complement_ , goes unsaid, _to **her**_.

She laughs lowly and says, "Oh, Daemon, I think we're going to get along very well."

He smirks. "Excellent."

They both ignore Elena, who is openly gaping at them from a meter away. "I think I made a dreadful mistake introducing the two of you to each other," she laments.

"Nonsense," Cynthia disagrees. "Daemon, have you been introduced to Vongola yet?"

"No," he admits, "although Elena does enjoy talking about clams."

Cynthia almost breaks down laughing. Daemon smirks smugly.

Elena makes a face at both of them. "Giotto's coming by after the ball," she announces. "Would you like to meet him, Daemon?" She pulls the puppy-dog eyes.

Cynthia has lived with this girl for six years. They are sisters in everything but blood. She is spectacularly immune to that look.

Daemon isn't. "I...okay."


	44. Ceremony

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Ceremony**

 _This is the day of revelations._

 **Frantic**

Tsuna is, quite frankly, at the end of his rope. Not only is Noriko missing and apparently somewhere in Italy, Takeshi is in a coma, severely hurt, possibly permanently crippled, and this Inheritance Ceremony has turned into a nightmare.

First, the "Sin" has been dropped on the floor and is utterly ruined. Tsuna has no idea what that little vial of red liquid represents, but this is what Takeshi risked his life getting to them, and now he's failed this, too.

Second, just as the Ninth is promising him that everything is okay, that vial was a fake one, Enma and his Famiglia burst into the room. Enma raises his hand and shows them the real Vongola Sin, held delicately in his hands.

First, the Simon Famiglia confess that they were the ones who attacked Takeshi. They were the ones who hurt his Rain Guardian so much, and Tsuna thought that they were friends, that _Enma_ was his friend, and he's so, so stupid.

 **Ineffective**

"We needed this," Enma says quietly, opening the container and tipping the contents over on his ring, "in order to regain our power and take vengeance on Vongola!"

There's a beat. There's expectation. There's dread.

The red drips off the ring and falls steadily towards the ground.

"Ahhh..." Tsuna's confused. That's not anything new, but the Simon Famiglia looks just as confused, which _is_ new. "Nothing's happening...?"

"Impossible!" Adelheid cries, slashing a hand through the air. But her eyes are locked on Enma's ring, and there's really nothing happening. "That was the blood of the first Boss of the Simon, the key to awakening the Simon Rings!"

"Maybe so," a different voice cuts in, so familiar and comforting that Tsuna almost loses his composure immediately. "But I highly doubt kool-aid has the same effect."

Tsuna spins around, barely stopping himself from tripping over his own feet. "Nori-chan!" he cries, the relieved call echoed by several of his Guardians.

Noriko leans against the doorway of the room that had held the safe. Her dress is white, her smile is bright, and her eyes are as hard as diamonds. "Hey, Tsuna," she says, twirling the Vongola Sin between her fingers.

 **Faux**

"That's...!" The Ninth gasps, eyes darting between the shattered container on the floor, the empty one in Enma's hands, and the completely identical bottle Noriko holds.

"What!?" Adelheid snarls, hands balled up by her sides. "How can there be another one!?"

"So that's the real one?" Reborn frowns. "But then...that must mean she replaced the one in the safe before the ceremony!"

"Kufufufufu...Nori-chan~" Mukuro purrs, discreetly nudging Chrome back a step. "You're late."

"Don't act like you didn't enjoy the drama," Noriko retorts.

"Wait a minute here," Hayato interrupts, looking back and forth between Noriko and Mukuro. "Are you saying that _Mukuro_ knew where Noriko-san was this entire time!? The guy you try not to be in the same room with...ever!?"

"I assure you, we have gotten over our differences," Mukuro maintains loftily. "In fact, are we not the _best_ of friends now, dear Nori-chan?"

"Don't push it," she warns flatly, but he merely chortles, unrepentant.

"Nori-chan...?" Tsuna's voice, soft and uncertain, cuts through the sudden wacky atmosphere like a hot knife through butter, and everyone shuts up. His brown eyes are wide, his slight frown bewildered.

Noriko blinks and then smiles reassuringly. "Don't worry, Tsuna," she says softly. "I've got this."

"You most certainly do not," Adelheid snaps, taking a step forward and subtly shielding an abruptly very lost-looking Enma behind her. "Give me that. _Now_!"

 **Condition**

At that, Noriko shifts her attention to the murderous Simon Famiglia and her smile turns frigid. "Oh, this little thing?" she says offhandedly, holding the bottle with three fingers, a good meter or so above the ground.

Adelheid glares death at the petite blonde and opens her mouth to growl some more, but is unexpectedly cut off.

"Is it the real one?" Enma asks.

Noriko shrugs. "Who knows? I replaced the real Sin two nights ago. This _could_ be the real one...or it could just be another fake. I've had a good thirty-four hours to do whatever I want with the real Vongola Sin. It could be all the way in Hawaii by now."

She pauses and takes a finger off the vial, so it's held between her thumb and pointer finger. "Either way...do you want to take that risk? It's not like this thing is very important to _me_."

"...what do you want?" Adelheid grits out, eyes flashing and shoulders tense.

Noriko arches an eyebrow. "Why should I give this to you in the first place? This will only help your family grow stronger, which will, in turn, hurt _my_ family. A bit counterintuitive, don't you think?"

"The first Boss of Simon was betrayed by Vongola Primo and left to die," Enma says darkly, the words falling into the dead-silent room like grenades. "Do you expect us to forgive and forget?"

"...what?" Tsuna whispers, horrified. "Primo wouldn't..."

Noriko spares a glance at him before turning to examine Enma neutrally. "Is that what you believe?"

"It's the truth!" Adelheid insists staunchly. "And the Simon Famiglia have endured hell because of it!"

Noriko hums and takes a step forward. "In that case, I'll hand this Vongola Sin over to you," she says, taking no notice of the gasps and stares boring into her from behind, "on one condition."

"What is it?" Enma asks, eyes narrowing.

She smiles and shakes her head. "Not from you, Enma-kun." Walking forward to stand beside a shaken but trusting Tsuna, Noriko looks directly at Katou Julie.

 _"What do you think you're playing at...Daemon Spade?"_


	45. Madness

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Madness**

 _This is how the past weeps._

 **Sketchy**

Cynthia stares at her sister's lover. Behind him, a man, a not-so-skilled rat, whimpers piteously. "I hope you realize what a suspicious character you are," she says.

Daemon scoffs and brushes some nonexistent dust off of his clothes. "Don't be ridiculous," he says. "I would never use Mist on Elena."

"No, I'm with her," G. mutters, poking at the unfortunate, not-so sane-anymore man. "What did you _do_ to him?"

"Nufufufu...I - "

 **Disclosure**

" - suppose I should have known." Julie tilts his head and smirks. His eyes flash a painfully beautiful violet, and in a shiver of Flames, Katou Julie becomes Daemon Spade. "Cynthia, Cynthia, I never expected to meet you here."

Timoteo gasps. "No...! That's impossible!"

"Julie!?" Adelheid whirls around, drawing Enma back behind her. "What the - who are you!?" The Simon Famiglia seem to collectively take a step back, eyeing their so-called comrade warily.

"Daemon Spade?" Tsuna whispers, bewildered. "Who's that? And why is he calling Nori-chan 'Cynthia'?"

Reborn has a gun in his hands, an uncharacteristic frown curling his lips. "Daemon Spade," he says slowly, "was the first Guardian of the Mist. However, he should be long dead."

"Yes," Cynthia agrees, smiling coldly. " _Should_ being the operative word. You've been clinging onto this world by possessing bodies, haven't you?"

"Nufufufu, don't sound so disgusted, Cynthia," Daemon purrs. "That's a tad hypercritical, considering you're back as well. Pray tell - "

 **Mystery**

" - how did you do it?" Daemon asks curiously over a cup of tea.

"Do what?" Cynthia arches an eyebrow. Her long hair is messy, her pale nightgown is rumpled, and she covers a yawn with her hand. It's early morning, and sunlight is creeping across the floor.

"Our last battle," he says, bracing his chin on his palm. "You stopped it. How?"

She smiles and sips at her coffee. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

" _Cynthia_ ," he whines.

She laughs. "Why - "

 **Name**

" - do you keep calling her that?" Hayato demands. "What's going on!?"

"Oh? You haven't told your beloved _family_?" Daemon sneers, a scythe appearing in his hands. He twirls it mockingly. "Keeping secrets now, are you? Do any of these children even know who you _are_?"

"I've never heard of a Cynthia," Reborn comments, and his mistrust is searing.

"...Nori-chan?" Tsuna asks uncertainly. He wants to trust her so _much_ , but -

Cynthia sighs. Her grip on Sin tightens. Her heart hurts. "...Mukuro."

"Kufufufu...shall I enlighten you all?" Mukuro smirks, relaxed as can be. "Cynthia was the original founder of the Cervello and the Vongola Moon of Primo's time. She was - "

 **Optimism**

" - his primary Adviser. Why don't you actually _advise_ him against being an idealistic idiot?" Daemon scowls.

"You follow him because he's an idealistic idiot," Cynthia points out, wondering if he even knows how fond his eyes are while he rants about their leader. "And what's the problem now?"

"We have a breach." Daemon shakes his head, slamming his hand down on the files. "Giotto needs to improve his security. Immensely."

"I'll talk to G. later," she says, stretching her arms out. It's been a long night. "You know Giotto has a tendency to think the best of everyone."

He grumbles. "It's going to come back to bite him in the ass one day," he mutters and shakes his head. "He has impossible luck though. It just so happens - "

 **Reincarnation**

" - that Cervello Cynthia was reincarnated as Reiki Noriko," Mukuro finishes smugly.

"The _fuck_?" Hayato gapes.

Tsuna simply looks...dazed.

"What are you saying?" Adelheid spits. She doesn't look like she know what to trust anymore.

"Enough," Cynthia says before anyone else can add their input. "None of that matters at the moment. What are you doing, Daemon? You're the one responsible for this entire mess, aren't you?"

"Of course," Daemon confirms. "While you've been off playing pretend with these weak children, I've been - "

 **Strength**

" - keeping the Vongola strong." Daemon huffs out an exasperated breath even as he leads Cynthia through the hedge maze with one hand on her back. "I still don't like him though."

She laughs. "Really? With all of your taunting, I would have thought you _adored_ Alaude." The most recent addition to their family is a bit volatile on the best of days and has gone after everyone with handcuffs once or twice by now.

His look is half-offended and half-horrified. "That barbarian?" he sniffs. "Absolutely not, although I will admit he is better than Lampo. That brat complains about everything." Said brat also receives candy twice a week from the Mist.

"Why don't you just admit you're a big softie at heart?" Cynthia teases, poking him in the chest. "Don't - "

 **Legacy**

" - delude yourself," Cynthia says sharply. "This is because of _her_ , isn't it?"

Daemon's face contorts cruelly. She is the only one who sees the pain behind the madness and malice. "Shut up," he hisses. "You don't have the right to speak of her!"

"She would have hated this," Cynthia snaps. "She's probably turning in her grave right now! Doing all of this in her name, do you think she would have _approved_!? She believed in protecting the weak and offering compassion to the hopeless!"

"What are they talking about?" Tsuna asks timidly, worried, but neither of them hear him.

"Don't talk like you know what she would have wanted!" Daemon yells, Flame flaring high and bright and tormented. "Don't you dare! This - everything that I've done - has all been for her! She wanted me to make Vongola the strongest, and I have for centuries!"

"Not like this," Cynthia says, silver light trembling beneath her skin. Her eyes flash. " _Never_ like this."

Daemon's eyes are crazed, and he swings his scythe.


	46. Crimson

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Crimson**

 _This is how things fall apart._

 **Engagement**

"Daemon, I'm quite happy for you and all, but why on Earth would you think I know Elena's finger size?" Cynthia questions incredulously, tapping her fingers on the counter top.

"Well, who else could I ask?" Daemon points out sulkily. "Besides, you know her best."

"I don't know..." she muses. "Giotto and Elena may as well be soulmates. They're _so_ alike."

He grimaces openly. "Don't," he warns. "Never again."

She laughs and peers down at the rings on display, ignoring the ache in her heart. "Do you have a favorite?"

Daemon's face softens, and oh, the Mist is so deeply in love, it's almost sickening. "A sapphire gem in the middle for her eyes," he tells her, "and amethysts around it for mine."

"You are such a sap." Cynthia smiles. "If only Alaude were here..."

"Shut - "

 **Edge**

" - up!" Daemon snarls, the deadly curve of his scythe held against Cynthia's neck.

"Nori-chan!" Tsuna gasps.

"Oi, let her go!" Hayato barks.

"Sorellona!" Lambo calls, horrified and terrified.

Kyoya watches with a frown, Ryohei's fists are clenched, Chrome's eyes are wide, and Mukuro smirks coldly. Cynthia doesn't move, doesn't flinch, but gazes steadily back at Daemon as blood beads on her neck.

"The truth hurts, doesn't it?" she whispers softly. "I knew her best."

When he looks at her, there is madness in his gaze. "Do you think I won't kill you?" The scythe presses a little closer, and another drop of blood wells up, rolls slow and warm down her neck.

"This is fucked up," the previously forgotten Squalo mutters from the corner, the rest of the Varia watching the show with a mixture of disturbing bloodlust, offhand entertainment, and cool boredom.

In the back of her mind, Cynthia agrees. "Do you think I'll let you kill me?" When doing so would mean the destruction of her family all over again.

Daemon narrows his eyes. "You're - "

 **Courtship**

" - a fool." He paces on the expensive rug, scowling. "Why are you marrying that bumbling idiot!? I _know_ you don't love him."

"Love isn't everything."

The man who loves her sister so much he'd be willing to burn the whole world down and dance in the ashes stares blankly at her. "Then why?"

"I want children." The Vongola will need advisers when she is gone, and her ability is genetic, will pass down to those of her blood.

Daemon blows out a breath and flops down gracefully on a chair. "Do you love anyone romantically?" he asks, petulant.

The lie comes smoothly to her lips. "No. You're - "

 **Sacrifice**

" - the fool," Cynthia says and rips apart the illusion with gleaming eyes and an experienced mind. He was the one who taught her how to counter illusions, after all. Daemon disappears, and from there on out, it's chaos.

The numbers are against Daemon's favor, of course, but that means nothing, not to the First Guardian of Mist with the Desert Flame in his grasp. It takes mere seconds for him to weave layer after layer of illusion over the room.

The Simon are easy prey looking for someone to blame. With cries of rage and glazed eyes, they end up hurling themselves at the Varia, who automatically respond with violence. Blood colors the air in seconds.

The Ninth is surrounded by his Guardians. With a maniacal laugh and a wave of his hand, Daemon sets the remaining conscious Mafioso on them, and they are suddenly very busy deflecting swords and bullets.

Tsuna is disorientated by his particular susceptibility to illusions. His Guardians aren't any better off. The lines blur, and suddenly, it's a free-for-all brawl, with no one quite sure of who is fighting who.

Mukuro has no interest in participating, and Chrome follows his lead with worried eyes. Reborn's eyes are shadowed by the brim of his hat, pistol held steady as make-shift enemy after make-shift enemy falls.

And, in the midst of it all, Daemon appears here and there sporadically with a laugh and his scythe. Occasionally, he uses a body as a human shield, but mostly, he sows anarchy and reaps death.

"Nori-chan!" Tsuna calls, worried, looking in the direction of an upturned chair. Bullets bombard the chairs, and he begins to make his way over.

Flame burns high on his forehead, and his eyes are a piercing amber. His gloved hands are clenched, and he looks regal and sure and untouchable.

Cynthia is shielded by a wall of tables, nearly halfway across the room. Her heart stutters and then freezes over when the world distorts, a familiar laugh ringing in her ears.

He's fast. She's faster.

She is the Judge, and that is what he is counting on. Until a stalemate or victory is reached, Cynthia can do nothing but wait. Those are the rules, for all that she has the best chance of defeating him, as his illusions are useless on her.

But she's bent the rules before.

When Daemon swings his scythe this time, it goes straight through the middle of her chest with a sickening sound. The room goes dead-silent for everyone to hear her pained gasp.

Noriko can't see Tsuna's face since she pushed him back behind her. But his tentative whisper is heartbreaking enough. "Nori-chan...?"

Daemon is frozen in place, staring at her with the most peculiar expression. There's incomprehension on his face as crimson blood begins to soak her white dress. "You..."

"Oh, Daemon," the Moon says fondly. "You never learn, do you?" And she smiles as her eyes close.

Once upon a time, Cervello Cynthia spared Daemon Spade's life because she loved him. It seems only right that Reiki Noriko will save Sawada Tsunayoshi's life because she loves him.


	47. Downfall

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Downfall**

 _This is how the night becomes darkness._

 **Shock**

On some level, Tsuna is aware that Daemon Spade is shaking minutely, his eyes too wide and skin deathly pale. He can't seem to move or talk or boast, or even to cry. He holds his weapon upright in a white-knuckled grip even as his victim begins to slide off with a squelching sound that makes Tsuna's stomach lurch.

His Hyper Intuition points all of this out in the back of his mind, and maybe it is somewhat important. When he thinks about this later, he'll understand something that he didn't before, and be one step closer to resolving this entire bloody conflict.

But right now, Tsuna doesn't care. Tsuna doesn't give a damn. Tsuna would rather aim his X-Burner at Daemon Spade than analyze his emotions. Right now, Tsuna is much, much more concerned about _his best friend, who just got **stabbed** because of **him.**_

"Nori-chan!" Ice cold all the way down to his bones, a panic sparking somewhere deep inside of him, Tsuna lunges forward just in time to grab the unresponsive - alive, she has to be alive, she can't be dead, not her - girl before she can hit the ground.

Blood, warm and terrifying, registers on his skin immediately, and he has to choke down a sob of desperate hysteria. He can't seem to get enough air into his lungs, and the world is spinning around him, and he - he _doesn't know what to do_.

 **Dread**

"Nori-chan! Nori-chan, Nori-chan, please! Wake _up_ , come on, it's okay. It's _okay_ , you'll be okay, just stay with me, stay with me, it's okay, _please_! Please don't, _don't_ \- " His frantic, thin voice climbs steadily until it breaks in the haunted silence.

 _(He promised to protect her, didn't he? His sister in everything-but-blood, so_ much _blood._ )

His eyes fly over her form, and oh, Kami-sama, the amount of red staining her dress is too much. Because of Reborn, Tsuna knows a little about anatomy, and the wound is too dead-center, and he can't - not so soon after Yamamoto, Tsuna just _can't -_

"Get the fuck away from Juudaime!" a very familiar voice bursts into his ears, more incensed than he's ever heard it, and the air hums, and there is a sudden burst of heat and flame near him.

( _He's failed.)_

Tsuna jerks his head up just in time to see Daemon Spade shake his head, like he's shaking off paralysis, and jump back. A Storm Arrow flies past him, and then Daemon is backing away, an ugly smirk twisting his lips but eyes wild and despairing from Tsuna's position.

"Nufufu, a fool to the end," he hisses, and his scythe is raised, grip so tight it must hurt. "She deserved to die."

There's a ringing in Tsuna's ears as Gokudera lets out a cry and rushes forward, Hibari beside him. Mukuro is pushing off the wall, an unusually dark look on his face, and Lambo is being held back by Chrome, both with tears in their eyes. Ryohei is moving towards them, more serious than ever before, but all Tsuna can think is _no_.

( _She's protected him for so long, so why - )_

No. No, no, _no_ , Nori can't be dead, Nori _can't_ be dead, Nori can't be _dead -_

 _"Tsuna_." Reborn is suddenly right beside him, steely and unforgiving. "Breathe. You're hyperventilating."

Oh. So that's why he's trembling like he's going to break apart.

 **Flee**

Distantly, Tsuna is aware of shouts and cries and flares of light. Barely two minutes of fighting in, there's a crash, and the sealed exits are shattered. Daemon laughs, distorted and discordant, and vanishes, leaving a dazed Katou Julie behind.

Tsuna doesn't move at all, not to avenge or to attack. Tsuna is listening to Reborn's steady instructions and trying to breathe again as he watches blankly as Ryohei, the Ninth's Sun Guardian, and Lussuria kneel by Nori, and yellow Flames light up the room.

"Will she be okay?" he whispers through the haze in his mind and a dry throat and blurry eyes.

His tutor doesn't answer. Can't answer.

 **Visitor**

In this, Daemon Spade lied. Noriko is still alive when they get her to the hospital. The doctors spend twelve hours working on her before deeming her stable, only to spend another six when her condition falters the next day.

"She'll live," one says as he walks out to the crowd gathered outside the operation room. "It's a miracle, but she'll live."

Noriko is put into the room next to Yamamoto's, a terrible convenience. Tsuna sits at her bedside, head in his hands. The walls are too white, and he can't stand to look at them.

The door opens, and he glances up. If someone is here to hurt his best friend further, he will burn them alive. His heart may feel hollow, and his eyes may be red, but his Flame rages in his chest. He can not, will not, fail again.

An old man in tattered robes hobbles in, leaning heavily on his cane, a black cloth tied over his eyes. He finds his way to the seat next to Tsuna and settles in.

"Who are you?" Tsuna asks flatly, too tired and sad and angry at the world to be friendly or polite. He tried that with Enma, didn't he? And look how that turned out for him and his family.

The Simon are being watched by the Vongola now, very, very closely. Tsuna has not inquired after their condition.

"I am Talbot," the old man says. "And you are Vongola the Tenth. You're exactly the man the rings say you are."


	48. Reprisal

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Reprisal**

 _This is how the Sky defends._

 **Watch**

Tsuna doesn't know who this old man really is, what he wants, or how powerful is. (When a baby can stomp all over you, you stop noticing things like age and appearance.) That doesn't stop him from asking, "Why are you here?"

"Hold out your hand."

A golden pocket watch is dropped onto Tsuna's palm. He recognizes the Vongola crest, but there are cracks in the design, stretching out from a single point where the top of the watch was pierced through, splintering the emblem.

"What is this?" he questions, uneasy even before the old man replies.

"That is the reason Lady Cynthia is still breathing," Talbot tells him. "She was wearing that watch when Lord Daemon attacked her. Without it, that scythe would have torn through her heart."

Tsuna flinches back, hand tightening instinctively over the watch. A shiver runs down his spine, and the only reason he doesn't freak out once more is the steady beeping of the heart monitor.

"Who are you?" he asks, sharp and hard.

"I am the Vongola's metal craftsman." Talbot smiles toothily. "Been with them since Primo's time. Why don't you open that watch, Tenth?"

Tsuna hesitates but a nudge from his Intuition prompts him to obey. The bottom half holds the two hands of a time keeper, but the top...the top...is a picture. His ancestor's eyes smile at him.

"It's...the Primo Famiglia," he murmurs, struck by how happy they all seem to be. After he gets past Giotto, Tsuna immediately notices Daemon standing next to a beautiful blonde, and beside her stands an all-too-familiar woman.

She looks different, he thinks blearily. Her hair is long and pink, her eyes are pale silver, and she wears a Greek-styled white gown similar to the Noriko in the future that doesn't exist anymore. But he _knows_ that smile and -

"Cynthia?" The name comes hesitantly to his tongue.

"Lovely, no?" Talbot laughs fondly. "Such a bright light, Cynthia was. And Reiki Noriko still is."

Tsuna shakes his head a little, still trying to wrap his mind around this whole reincarnation business. He looks down at the picture again. "Who's the other woman?" He thinks he knows, but it's a bad conclusion and he hopes he's wrong.

"Lady Elena." Talbot sighs, sadly this time. "Lady Cynthia's adopted sister...and Lord Daemon's lover."

Tsuna's heart drops. "Oh." He recalls the accusations Noriko and Daemon flung at each other, that mysterious 'her' who drove both of their actions. "Something happened to her, didn't it?"

"Yes. And Lord Daemon never fully recovered. I suspect that Lady Cynthia never did either, but she hid it better."

Tsuna contemplates that for a long time. Talbot seems willing to wait, but then, someone of his age probably learned the value of patience a long time ago. The beeping of the machines grate on Tsuna's nerves but are paradoxically soothing, too.

 **Blood**

Finally, Tsuna heaves a deep sigh, tired down to his bones. "What do I do?" he whispers helplessly.

Talbot chuckles, not unkindly. "What would you like to accomplish?"

"Daemon needs to be defeated," Tsuna says, because the pain in Noriko's eyes when she confronted her former friend is unacceptable. "But...I don't think I'm strong enough." He was useless during that last battle.

He doesn't want anyone else to get hurt. He won't let anyone else get hurt.

"Well, let's see what I have." Talbot draws his robe to the side with a flourish, revealing a multitude of strange items strapped to the inside. "Hmm. These are stones from the moon. This is Lævateinn's hilt. Ah, found it."

He plucks out two suspiciously familiar vials, both filled with a nauseating red liquid. "The blood of Vongola Primo, Penalty, and the blood of Simon Primo, Sin."

Tsuna jolts, eyes widening. "What!? Primo's blood? Sin? You've had it all long!?"

Talbot cackles. "Where did you think Lady Cynthia got that fake, Tenth? She asked me to create one for her and then gave me the real one for safe keeping."

 **Upgrade**

"Now, if we succeed in using these, the power of the Vongola Rings and the power of the Simon Rings will increase dramatically," Talbot says. "But if we fail, the Simon Rings will crack, and the Vongola Rings will lose their spirits."

"Their spirits?"

"You wore the ring and yet you don't even know? Within powerful rings dwell spirits. With spirits they are able to feel." Talbot examines the vials critically, humming to himself. "What say you, Tenth?"

Tsuna hesitates. "With these, if we succeed, we'll be able to defeat Daemon?"

"You will have the power to do so, yes."

"Yes...for Penalty. For Sin..." Tsuna takes a deep breath and bites the bullet. "I'll need to talk to Enma-kun."

 **Vendetta**

Reborn closes the door to the conference room behind Tsuna. Enma sits at the table, head lowered and gaze shadowed. Tsuna sits across from him and says, "Tell me. Help me understand."

Enma sighs and begins to talk. He tells them about the version of history the Simon were told. He tells them of Julie's odd behavior, what Daemon has done. He tells them of the Seven Flames of the Earth.

Tsuna listens closely, and when Enma is done, he replies, "I don't believe Primo would ever do anything like that, and I think Daemon was lying, but you'll have to ask Nori-chan when she wakes up. But for now..."

He holds out his hand. "Would you please help me defeat Daemon Spade?"

Enma blinks at him and only pauses for a few seconds. He takes Tsuna's hand. "Okay," he answers quietly.

Tsuna smiles.

In the darkness, Reborn's eyes gleam with proud satisfaction.


	49. Discovery

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Discovery**

 _This is how the Mist shrouds the Moon._

 **Sojourn**

In the depths of the night, a shadow stirs in Reiki Noriko's bedroom. Mukuro steps up to the hospital bed without any regard for hospital visiting hours and looks down at the girl, taking in the closed eyes, moonlight hair, and peaceful expression.

What a lie, he thinks.

Mukuro doesn't regret giving Chrome the position of Mist Guardian. He has no intention of becoming directly involved with the Vongola, much less in a positive way, and his darling Nagi is such a useful tool. When he takes over the Vongola, he will be in a prime position to do so.

It helps that he has long since taught her how to switch minds with him. Teaching that arrogant Arcobaleno his place was most satisfying.

Besides, he has the Malocchio Hell Ring. The Mist Ring isn't important enough for him to covet it, which is why, while Chrome is away, watching as the Vongola Rings are upgraded, Mukuro has the freedom to sneak around here. It is, he notes with amusement, a new moon tonight.

"How far you've fallen," he mutters to himself, to the sleeping girl. "Reiki Noriko. Cervello Cynthia."

 **Terror**

Mukuro is in the rare position of having no fucking idea of what to do.

He came to the girl with (somewhat) honest intentions. He wanted to know who was audacious enough to imply that he couldn't take care of his people, that he was incompetent and weak and stupid. He granted her very strange request to hear him laugh.

And now, Reiki Noriko is having a panic attack on the floor right in front of him. Which. What. Fuck.

After hearing him laugh - again, weird even for Mukuro - Noriko stared for a good half a minute, pupils constricted and focused on something that didn't exist, before crumbling like a puppet with its strings cut. Now, she's curled up in the fetal position and rocking back and forth, breath coming far too fast and much too ragged.

Mukuro inwardly curses to himself and wonders if he should leave. Would that help? He doubts that Tsunayoshi would appreciate Mukuro harming Noriko in any way, and after he's been so 'good' for so long, that would be terribly detrimental.

Still, he certainly didn't sign up for the role of _therapist_.

Mukuro likes Noriko, to a point. She's a puzzle, an enigma, and Mukuro does so enjoy figuring those out. He also owes her a debt, one he has not forgotten. All of this does not stop him from scowling as he crosses the room and kneels beside the stupid, panicking girl.

"Noriko," he says, because while he may find this situation distasteful, he has dealt with panic attacks before. " _Noriko_."

No response.

He sighs and resigns himself to the inevitable. "Breathe," Mukuro instructs. "Inhale, yes, just like that, hold it for a count of five...not that quickly! Here, one...two...three...four...five...now exhale. Good, now, inhale again, one...two..."

Slowly, painstakingly, Mukuro talks Noriko out of her panic attack.

 **History**

When Mukuro falls silent, when Noriko is calm once more, silence hangs over them like an executioner's sword. Finally, she sighs audibly and opens her eyes slightly, slivers of pale blue peeking out.

"I suppose you want answers?"

He smirks. "It is the least you can do."

She doesn't reply but uncurls with sinuous grace and busies herself making tea, the previous batch having gone cold by now. "Sit."

Noriko, he muses as he retakes his seat, sounds even tired than before. Not surprising, but given her usual composure, problematic. Mukuro braces himself for something outlandish.

She sits across from him and stares down at the steaming teacup in her hands like it holds all of the answers she seeks. "You said you've been reincarnated six times."

He plays with his own teacup and speculates on where she's going with this. "I did."

"I don't know how you're still sane," Noriko says bluntly, lifting her eyes to meet his gaze. "I've only been reincarnated once, and I'm losing it."

Mukuro stares. "...what."

She smiles wanly and ran a hand through her hair. "Mm-hm."

After a second to collect his thoughts and make sure this isn't a joke, he shakes his head and starts thinking. "...who were you?"

"Cervello Cynthia."

"Cervello," he repeats. "Those women..." And, _oh._ "Those judges." Mukuro should have seen the connection sooner.

Noriko smiles, sardonic and melancholic. "Bingo."

 **Enmity**

Noriko doesn't tell him much more. A few more basic facts of who she once was, before Mukuro finds himself at the door. And, like before, he turns his head before leaving and asks a question.

This time, he has some idea of whose memory saved him.

"Is that why you hate me?" he inquiries, genuinely curious. "Because of him?"

Noriko blinks at him and then laughs, drained and mournful. It's a surprisingly annoying sound. "I don't hate you, Mukuro," she says and closes the door in his face.

He still hears her through the wood when she murmurs, "I never hated him either."

 **Standoff**

Mukuro is of the opinion that Tsunayoshi owes him for many things. Not the least of which is lounging like a king on the hospital chair when the shadows shift once more and an unwelcome figure appears.

"Kufufufu...fancy meeting you here, Daemon Spade."

"Indeed, Rokudo Mukuro," the other illusionist acknowledges, a coy tilt to his head. "It's one in the morning. One can only wonder what you're doing in Cynthia's personal room at this hour."

Mukuro smirks and holds out his hand. In a swirl of Mist, his trident manifests. "At least I'm not the one who stabbed her...missing her heart by a few centimeters or so...accidentally."

Daemon alights with Flame in response.


	50. Expedition

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Expedition**

 _This is how things accelerate._

 **Conditioning**

They don't get very far.

Daemon creates his scythe, Mukuro's grip tightens on his trident, tendrils of illusions sing mutely in the room -

 _Beep. Beep-beep. Beep-beep-beep._

The discrepancy in background noise makes them both pause and turn to look at the heart monitor. It's gone erratic, which is...interesting, considering that Noriko is still unconscious, though lines are appearing on her forehead and she is beginning to frown.

Daemon scowls. "...this is your fault."

"My fault?" Mukuro scoffs, eye twitching. "Look at her. She has anxiety around Mist Flames because of you." It's almost impressive, considering all of this must be completely subconscious.

They linger uncertainly for another few moments, eyeing each other and the sleeping girl with all of the wariness of bastard schemers. Noriko's heartbeat continues to increase, until it's bordering on being dangerous to her health.

"At this rate," Mukuro drawls, spinning his trident, "you actually are going to kill her. Or is finishing the job what you're here to do?"

Daemon glares at him and promptly turns and walks out. Hmm.

Mukuro leans back in his chair and lets his trident fade away with a chuckle. "You've been keeping more secrets, I see," he says to the girl on the hospital bed.

 _Beep-beep-beep. Beep-beep. Beep-beep. Beep. Beep._

When Kiku arrives in the morning, there is no one in her daughter's room.

 **Maternal**

Kiku isn't an idiot. She knows that her daughter is caught up in something, knows that while she is out at work, Nori gets up to things that Kiku would rather not think of. She's known that something strange has been going on for a long time.

Oh, she doesn't think that Nori is into drugs or gangs or anything like that. Kiku knows her daughter as only a mother can; Nori may be free-spirited but she knows the lines that mustn't be crossed. And Nori's friends are good children, loyal and supportive.

Kiku and Yoshio accepted Tsunayoshi a long time ago. Hayato, for all that he smells like smoke, is always polite and the shocked expression on his face when they invited him for dinner spoke plainly. Takeshi is a joy, always so cheerful.

Since childhood, Nori has always been too intelligent for her own good. Independent, too, and Kiku, despite not wanting to let her baby go, allowed her to do as she wished. It was the only way to keep her daughter with their family, and she doesn't regret the decision, not even now.

And she's blossomed beautifully. A lovely, strong young lady, though as the years have passed, she's grown inevitably more distant, spending less and less time with Kiku and Yoshio. They have accepted it gracefully, half because she is growing up and half because they are busy, always busy with the financial situation.

The mysterious sums of money that show up whenever they're on the brink are suspicious as well, but Kiku doesn't want to know and has never asked Nori. Some things are better off unsaid.

As the years go by, Nori's gotten deeper and deeper into whatever it is. She goes out at strange times at night, always has some sort of event planned. She comes back sometimes with haunted eyes and a false smile, and recently it's been so bad, Kiku's been looking up affordable therapists.

Just a few days ago, things came to a head, she supposes. Nori doesn't lie. It's one of the defining facts that Kiku knows. Her daughter might deflect or laugh it off or give insubstantial answers, but she has never lied directly to her parents.

That day, at the dinner table, she had.

Kiku wanted to push. Wanted to ask her daughter what was wrong, why her eyes were so dark and her smiles so strained, why she looks exhausted and rundown and heartbroken. The request to go off to Italy came as a surprise, and a refusal was on her lips before she realized Nori would go whether or not she gave her blessing.

Now, Kiku sits by her daughter's bedside, her cold hand clasped in both of her own, and thinks that she should have tried harder to keep Nori at home, safe from the horrors of the world.

They tell her that she had an accident. A sharp projectile almost penetrated her heart.

Kiku knows they're lying, perhaps unwittingly. Tsunayoshi couldn't meet her eyes when he came to deliver the news, guilt staining his voice. He looked terrible, wrecked, and Kiku didn't hesitate to give him a hug before making for the hospital at top speed.

It doesn't escape her notice that Takeshi is injured, too. Whatever the kids are dabbling in, it is dangerous.

Kiku would tell her daughter - her sensible, stubborn daughter - to back out _now_ , if she thought that Nori would listen for a second. Instead, she can only sit by her unresponsive girl and pray to someone, anyone, that Nori will survive and flourish in whatever she chooses to do.

 **Enhance**

"Ready?" Tsuna asks, looking around the room. His Guardians signal their agreement in their own ways, and Enma smiles at him, determination in his eyes.

"Ready," Enma says, his own Guardians gathered around him. On their fingers, the Vongola and Simon Rings glimmer, still uncut gemstones waiting to shine.

They only have one chance at this. They can't afford to lose.

Tsuna nods. "Let's do it!" he orders, eyes bleeding into orange. His Will hangs heavy in the air, and in seconds, fourteen different kinds of Flame burst into vivid, defiant life.

As the full force of his Sky Flames envelops him, Tsuna thinks he hears a proud voice in his head:

 _Protect what is yours, Decimo._


	51. Collapse

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Collapse**

 _This is how everything shattered like glass._

 **Cold**

It's cold.

Always so cold.

Noriko - or is Cynthia now? Who is Cynthia? Who is Noriko? Is she both? Is she neither? - drifts in dull darkness and feels the chill settle in her bones. Painkillers have strange effects on her. During an Eclipse, they don't work at all.

She is tired. She feels weighed down. She is so, so cold.

Noriko sleeps. And as she sleeps, she dreams.

(Or does she?)

 **Reason**

 _"Why?"_

The voice comes distant and faraway. Familiar, so familiar. An ally, but not. An enemy, but not. A former-friend. A former...

 _"Cynthia. Why?"_

He's asking her why? He should know. Of all people, he should know. The strain in his voice is frustrating. He's not meant to sound so sad. He doesn't have the right to sound so sad.

The last time he sounded so sad...

 _"Why?"_

 **Grief**

"Why!?" Daemon spits out, furious and wretched. "Why did he do it!? I told him not to! I told him we needed to keep the Vongola strong! _Why!?_ "

Cynthia doesn't say a word as the front of her dress grows damp with his tears. Elena's dead body appears every time she closes her eyes. Silent tears roll down her face, but she doesn't join in his agonized diatribe against Giotto.

Instead, she strokes her fingers through his hair and lets the world fade away.

Elena was Daemon's lover. But Elena was Cynthia's sister, too.

 **Report**

 _"Hey, Nori-chan. I, uhh, I know you probably can't hear me right now, but I'm going to tell you what's been going on anyway, okay? We were able to activate the Vongola and Simon - they're working with us now, by the way, we came to an agreement - Rings, so we've been trying to find Daemon Spade."_

There's a pause. The voice, comforting, gentle, turns hesitant.

 _"Nori-chan...I don't know what's between you and Daemon, but we'll try not to hurt him, okay? Even though he almost killed you, and I can't stand for that, I'll bring him back to you in one piece and then you can decide what you want to do. It's your right. The Simon have agreed."_

What she wants to do? What does she want to do?

Cynthia doesn't know. Noriko is a bit better off, but she's uncertain, too.

They are both not sure whether they'd like to wake up or not.

 **Play**

Daemon is very, very good at pretending, but Cynthia knows better.

She can see the darkness in him, that darkness that only Elena was able to hold back with her light. She can see the bitterness and the anger, the festering hatred and the cold calculation.

He pretends to recover, to move on. He gradually starts smiling again, indulges in banter once more. He listens to Giotto's guilt-filled orders and spars with Alaude until the walls of the mansion shake.

It's almost as if Daemon has mourned and bounced back perfectly.

Cynthia stands by Giotto's side and watches Daemon become a stranger.

She doesn't say a word, despite the horror that churns in her gut.

 **Melancholy**

 _"Cynthia."_

The voice is quiet, insubstantial. Flickering. Warm. Not quite so comforting as saddening, a ghost with orange eyes and orange flame and silent regret.

 _"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let it go so far. I never thought he would hurt you."_

Strange. She never thought he would either.

 _"I should have settled this in our time. My time. Decimo shouldn't have to handle this, and for that, Cynthia, Noriko, I am truly, utterly sorry."_

A pause.

 _"Forgive me."_

 **Warnings**

"What happened was an atrocity," Daemon growls.

"The Vongola cannot afford to be weak," Daemon murmurs.

"Help me. For Elena's sake," Daemon says.

Whispers in the dark. Betrayal in their midst. Death murmuring on the wind.

Cynthia shakes and curls in on herself. She doesn't answer his insidious invitations. She doesn't tell a single soul. The Judge is compromised for the first time ever, and the Adviser is stumbling, falling.

She doesn't know what to do. She looks at the Vongola, at the organization that she helped create, at the result of her life's work, and she sees corruption and turmoil and all the signs of an impending internal collapse, and _she doesn't know what to do_.

Giotto finds her and kneels by her side, concern a warm beacon in his eyes. He doesn't say a word but wraps her up in his arms and holds her until she stops shivering. "It's okay," he says, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "It's okay."

No, she wants to say, it isn't.

But her voice doesn't work, so she says nothing.

 **Wings**

 _"My, how the mighty have fallen_." The sound of wings beating is strangely disturbing, as is the playful, mocking voice. _"You look rather pathetic lying there, you know. Say, are you Cervello Cynthia or Reiki Noriko now?"_

She doesn't know.

 _"Both? Neither?"_

She wishes he would leave.

 _"You shouldn't worry. You'll figure it out soon enough."_

Will she?

 _"I really should just leave you there after you imposed such a harsh Punishment on me. But then, that is your job, isn't it?"_ A soft, knowing laugh. _"The Judge, the Arbiter. You left him go, and now, I bet you're regretting it."_

She isn't so sure.

 _"If I leave right now, you'll be stuck here for another six weeks. I suppose I can be generous. I've already paid a visit to Yamamoto Takeshi, so I may as well take care of you, too."_

The world explodes in a surge of blinding white light.

And at last, she wakes up.


	52. Liar

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Liar**

 _This is how he continues to push forward._

 **Deceiver**

Daemon Spade is a Mist to his core. He is cold and ruthless and manipulative. Trying to decipher him is to walk into a house of mirrors, all shattered and twisted and broken, and no one has ever come close to successfully identifying his true self since Primo's time, centuries ago.

Lies spill from his lips like honey-tinted arsenic. He cheats and tricks and destroys families without blinking. Death is a way of life for him, and he can think up the most destructive ruses off of the top of his head. Reality is his plaything and he takes horrific advantage.

Daemon has done terrible things in the name of Elena's cause.

(He tells himself she would approve. He deceives himself most of all.)

 **Love**

Elena is like no one else he has ever met. Beautiful, certainly, but Daemon knows beautiful women, and it is not her beauty that attracts him. It is her spirit, shining oh-so-bright and utterly unrepentant even in the face of society's scorn.

She is honest and loyal and fierce and compassionate. She opens her heart to anyone and everyone, and her smile can light up the dark side of the moon. She holds out her hand and looks at him with those eyes, and he never really stood a chance.

Daemon falls hard and fast and never regrets it once.

(He is an expert at lying.)

Elena is the love of his life, and when she disappears, she takes his heart with her. Daemon's world becomes a dark, pitiful thing, and he misses the sun's warmth and light as only a blind man can.

 **Conundrum**

Cynthia is Elena's cherished adopted sister. Cynthia is an Element but she isn't. Cynthia doesn't make sense.

Daemon appreciates the protective air Cynthia treats him to when they first meet. Elena hides a warrior's heart, but she is precious and should be protected. Behind the strange silver of her eyes, Cynthia has no need to conceal vulnerability.

In a distant way, he acknowledges that the lady is lovely, in an eerie, otherworldly manner, but his heart has been stolen away already.

Past her incomprehensible powers and enigmatic smile, Cynthia - because inevitably, Daemon finds himself in her company often - is an oddly captivating woman, worthy of being his Elena's best friend and sister. If Elena is steadfast and candid in who she is, then Cynthia is the exact opposite.

Cynthia is akin to a wind sprite, flighty and untouchable. Her personality reminds him of a jewel, constantly shifting and changing with deviations of light. She is clever and sly and knowing, and he has ever been fond of puzzles.

Daemon tries to find the true woman behind gleaming eyes and diplomatic words and everchanging masks, and fails miserably.

Naturally, this only further compounds his fascination.

 **First**

The first time Daemon pays witness to a Judgement, he is aloofly curious from an information hoarder's and a faux scientific view. Cynthia's abilities are wholly unique, one of those few individuals in the world who are unmatched in their field, and he would be a fool to be dismissive of such power.

The first time Cynthia bests him in verbal combat, Daemon sniffs and smirks and shrugs. He admits to nothing but is reluctantly appreciative nonetheless, for so few have the acerbic wit and boldness needed to keep up with him, and it's all the more entertaining that her words remain as diplomatic as ever.

The first time Daemon shares a breakfast with Cynthia, she teases him about his coffee addiction and he retorts with a reminder that blueberries aren't in season. Elena is still asleep at the mansion, but the sunrise is beautiful, the air is cool and crisp, and he is content with watching his lover's sister smile.

The first time Cynthia stops a battle cold and proclaims a winner, commands unbreakable, he looks at her and wonders for the briefest second before Elena's laugh recaptures his attention. Inevitably, the most dangerous things are beautiful, as Ugetsu's blades and Alaude's interest prove.

The first time Daemon challenges Cynthia to a match, he is laughed at, and he can't quite bring himself to be as angry as he pretends to be when those silver eyes shine like so. He learns that her hand-to-hand is sufficient, her knowledge of illusions is pitiful, and to rebel against a mock-Judgment is useless.

The first time Cynthia cries in front of Daemon, Elena is dead. He is numb and raging, crying and shouting, depressed and enraged. In contrast to his fury and sorrow, she is silent and still, but for the hand that she strokes through his hair. The tears that fall from her eyes kiss her skin and disappear.

The first time Daemon ever lethally injures Cynthia, he has lied to himself so creatively and strenuously that he can almost truly believe that she means nothing to him and never has. His scythe pierces through the woman he didn't love, her blood stains his hands, and he feels regret for the first time in a long time.

 **Last**

The last time Daemon ever sees Cervello Cynthia, he is kneeling beneath the burden of the Judgement. Her face is unreadable, her voice is level, and he hates, hates, hates. He hates that he still does not know her. He hates that she has chosen to side against him. He hates that he has lost what he never had.

She spares him and is gone.

Months later, news of her death reach his ears. He leaves and discreetly slaughters five of the famiglias that have grown arrogant and bloated on power.

Daemon can feel them now, this weak Decimo and his Guardians and the Simon and the Vongola hunting him.

He smiles and waits.


	53. Retribution

**OpalescentGold: I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Retribution**

 _This is how family protects family._

 **Track**

Finding Daemon isn't easy, even with the Vongola at his back and the Simon at his side. Tsuna grits his teeth and pushes forward, the Sky Ring heavy on his finger and his Will burning bright within.

Nori is lying broken on a hospital bed, and Tsuna will see Daemon kneeling at her feet for what he has done.

While he waits, he asks Mukuro and Chrome for help. Daemon is a Mist, an illusionist. Tsuna has always been weak to illusions, and maybe that was okay before, but it isn't now.

Mukuro laughs creepily and Chrome smiles warmly. It takes seconds for them to tear his reality apart and replace it with something new, fantasy and dreams.

Tsuna narrows his eyes and strokes his Flame higher.

He makes himself remember those crucial moments when he thought that Yamamoto was going to die. He makes himself remember those minutes when he thought Enma betrayed him. He makes himself remember how red Nori's blood was, as it spilled across the carpet on the day she took a blow meant for Tsuna.

All because of Daemon Spade. All because Tsuna has been too weak.

No more. He won't let things stay the way they have been.

Tsuna burns through the illusions clouding his mind with fire and conviction, and Reborn smirks with something that might just be pride.

 **Objectivity**

The Vindice come.

Tsuna's Guardians flank their Sky protectively, and Enma's Guardians narrow their eyes and snarl.

Tsuna faces the darkened guardians of the mafia world with eyes of orange flame. Enma stands beside him, jaw set and hands fisted.

Reborn's eyes are as black as the abyss and just as merciful.

"Why are you here?" he asks, point-blank.

"Daemon Spade is a criminal of numerous crimes," one says. "He must be dealt with accordingly.

"Why come to us?" Tsuna stares them - all of them - down unwaveringly. "Why don't you just drag him to your prison yourself?" They are the enforcers of mafia law. Certainly, they are not _weak_.

"The Arbiter." If he didn't know better, he would say that the speaker is aggravated. "Reiki Noriko. Cervello Cynthia."

"What has she done?" Reborn demands immediately.

"Centuries ago, she invoked the Gestione Accord, in regards to Vongola Primo's Mist Guardian. To this day, the agreement holds."

Mukuro presses his lips tightly together. "What, precisely, would this accord be?" he questions silkily. He has not forgotten that he, too, is protected by this unknown contract.

The Vindice turns his head slightly towards him, and Mukuro refuses to flinch under his would-be jailer's regard. There is a long, strained moment of silence.

"In exchange for relinquishing certain individuals to the Arbiter's control, she will never overturn any of Vindice's penalties," he explains at last. "That is what was decided. And it holds."

It takes Tsuna a few seconds to understand. Daemon Spade is under Nori's jurisdiction. Even when his best friend is lying on a hospital bed in a _coma_ , he's all but untouchable to anyone but her. The Vindice...

Mukuro bursts out laughing, lips twisting into a gleeful smirk. "You're _powerless_ ," he accuses. "You've _been_ powerless. He's hers, and you lot can't do a thing until she revokes that accord! The great Vindice, reduced to bystanders!"

The Vindice stiffens, the already impressively murderous aura around him intensifying. "You will watch your tongue, Rokudo Mukuro."

"Why?" Mukuro taunts, still chuckling. "You can't touch me, either."

"Mukuro," Tsuna says before the situation can accelerate anymore, frowning. "That's enough, I think. What do you want us from us specifically?" He directs the question at the Vindice.

Surprisingly, Mukuro goes quiet. The Vindice shifts his attention to Tsuna, voice once more monotone and impassive. "The Arbiter is incapable of dealing with Daemon Spade, both emotionally and physically. When your fight with Daemon Spade concludes, you will deliver him into our hands to do as we see fit."

It's a command. A mandate. Similar to the pure surety behind Nori's voice when she lays down Judgement, but -

But -

 **Faith**

"No," Tsuna says.

Reborn frowns, his glance a warning. Everyone else reaches for their weapons. The Vindice go still, oh so still.

"'No', Vongola Decimo?" The danger in that tone is substantial, and Tsuna wills himself not to shiver, to stand his ground. Though his face is wrapped in cloth, the Vindice's gaze is bloodchilling. "You would defy the Vindice?"

"Yes." Tsuna doesn't know what happened with Daemon and Noriko. Cynthia. It doesn't matter. The names don't matter. His lack of knowledge doesn't matter.

He might not know much, but he was there when they came face-to-face, for the first time in what must have been a very long time. He paid witness to the twisted feelings that link Cynthia and Daemon, and Tsuna won't -

Tsuna won't take this away from Nori. Not Nori, who has always been on his side, who, his Hyper Intuition whispers, has been waiting for Daemon for so, so long.

"I won't let Daemon get away with what he's done," Tsuna says resolutely. "But Nori-chan's going to be the one who decides what'll happen to him. When she wakes up."

"And if she does not?"

"She will," Tsuna responds, and it's a promise.

He refuses to contemplate otherwise.

The Vindice leave.

 **Capture**

They find Daemon Spade in the forests that surround Namimori, rather than in some obscure third-world country.

A girl reaching for consciousness on a hospital bed would have laughed. She knows that both of her lives have been catastrophically affected on this land. Naturally, this last loose end will be taken care of here as well.

"Nufufufu...Hello, Decimo," Daemon greets, madness lacing his voice like miasma.


	54. Accrue

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Accrue**

 _This is how every piece falls into place._

 **Realism**

Noriko awakens from her coma to meet golden-brown eyes and a wide grin.

"Hey, Nori," Takeshi says, sitting on the left edge of the hospital bed. "How do you feel?"

"Terrible," she coughs out, making a face at the taste in her mouth. Her throat is entirely too dry. "Water...?"

"Here." He grabs a glass off the small table nearby and raises it to her lips. "Careful. Go slow, okay?"

Noriko hums faintly in response and tries. She still ends up choking on the water, and he has to raise her up to a seating position and pat her back until she can breathe again.

"'m okay," she manages at last.

Takeshi doesn't look convinced at all, but he doesn't pursue the topic. Instead, he moves onto something far worse. "So, I heard we're up against someone called Daemon Spade? Know anything about him?"

Her silence is loud. The hand she presses to her stomach, over the wound that almost killed her - _again_ \- speaks more truth than any explanations she can offer.

"Oh," he breaths.

 **Potential**

Reborn has always been aware his student has great potential. He would never have agreed to tutor, and continued to tutor, Tsuna otherwise. The Greatest Hitman in the World does not tolerate failure.

He saw it when he first came to Namimori. All of thirteen years old and already with nearly a full set of Guardians. All of thirteen years old, and quietly content, safe and secure in the bonds he had with his friends, such a pure and sweet Sky.

He saw it when Tsuna fought Mukuro, then Xanxus, then Byakuran, and _won_. Tsuna has potential, so much beautiful potential, and Reborn's job is to bring it out.

That is all truth. However, he was not lying to Noriko - or is it Cynthia now? - when they argued. Yes, Guardians and Advisers are meant to protect their Boss, but coddling isn't a valid technique of protection. It would only bring harm in the long-term, and Noriko coddled Tsuna most of all.

Looking back now, Reborn finds this situation morbidly ironic.

Noriko is, as he suspected, Tsuna's limiter. But it isn't the way he expected. Reborn has seen Tsuna angry, furious. With Yuni. With the Simon when it came out that they crippled Yamamoto. But this time -

This time, Tsuna is well and truly _livid_.

Because it's _Reiki Noriko_ this time, Tsuna's first and best friend, the one who has always, always been on Tsuna's side, his first defender and his closest confidant, and not only did Daemon Spade almost kill her, he brutally wounded her heart, and that isn't something Tsuna can forgive and forget.

Reborn watches Tsuna and Daemon face off and muses that it really was Noriko's fate that destroyed Tsuna's last doubt, last uncertainty, last fear, leaving only this contained conviction behind, Will and Flame.

 **Silly**

It's silly. That's what it is. It's so silly.

She thought, mistakenly, foolishly, that she'd hit rock bottom already.

Back when the Cervello Famiglia was slaughtered down to one survivor. Back when Elena was killed. Back when the Vongola descended into blood and sin. Back when her family was killed one by one until she was the only one left.

Again.

Back when Daemon became a stranger with lies on his lips and eyes of death. Back when Daemon betrayed them (betrayed her) for power, for a cause that he claimed was Elena's, a final blasphemy upon her beloved late sister.

She should have known better. She should have been prepared to fall ever farther.

So silly. So _stupid_. There's no reason for her to feel like she was betrayed all over again. None at all. They were - nothing. Just...almost brother and sister in law. Maybe friends. There wasn't. Anything. No promises. Nothing.

It's been centuries. So much must have happened since she went to sleep (died) and woke up (lived). For him to. Hurt her. Try to kill her. Was. Not a betrayal. Simply efficiency. For him to try to kill her Sky. Again. Was.

Not a betrayal. His loyalty had never been hers. Theirs. Her loyalty...

Well. Just as stupid as the rest of her, apparently.

(A voice whispered that it had been an accident. She ignored it. What did he expect, trying to kill Tsuna?)

It was idiotic for her to expect him to maybe. What? Hesitate? Reconsider? After so many years of this - this disregard for life and the values they once held dear. Silly. Stupid. She should have known better.

Silly. _Stupid._ She should have known better.

Noriko knows this. Cynthia knows this.

It doesn't stop the ache in chest, nor the burning in her eyes.

She's so silly. What else had she expected? Wanted?

 **Regret**

"She's alive," Tsuna says, watching Daemon closely.

"More's the pity," Daemon scoffs, spinning his trident lazily. There's not the slightest hitch in his twirling or his voice, but Tsuna doesn't allow his anger to cloud his mind.

"Aren't you even a little relieved?"

Daemon smirks, broken and insane and taunting. "Cynthia's ever been a stubborn thorn in my side. So blinded by her so-called 'justice' and 'fairness', she's never been able to do what needs to be done. Her black and white morality is a weakness she'll never overcome."

There's the briefest hesitation before he continues, one Tsuna only catches because his Hyper Intuition nudges at him from the back of his mind.

"I'll make sure to finish the job next time."

Tsuna can all but taste Daemon's regret on the air, bitter as cruel heartbreak, and wonders.

It's not enough for him to pull his punches or rain down gentle fire, but he wonders and pities.


	55. Waxing

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Waxing**

 _This is the blood falling on the ground._

 **Immovable**

Daemon was Primo's Mist Guardian. Daemon was Secondo's Mist Guardian. Daemon has destroyed countless families, both Mafia and not, ruined countless lives, murdered countless people.

He just might be the strongest Mist in the world.

Daemon has had years to perfect his craft, build his strength, expand upon his potential. He has vast amounts of experience to draw upon, has witnessed the worst atrocities of man, has provoked massacres and genocides, has the faith and devotion of the most steadfast priest in the name of God.

He is the immovable object.

 **Unstoppable**

Tsuna is meant to become the Vongola Decimo. Enma is to become the Boss of the Simon. Their Guardians are meant to become the shining candles that will light up the darkness, stem the flood of blood so that nothing so much as brushes their Skies.

They are flying on righteous fury and wild determination.

Still learning, still trying, still pushing forward, they are only students of a junior high school, have been fighting and struggling and burning for less than a year. Their upgraded rings hold a power they do not fully understand, but their wills are fueled with a need for vengeance, a need to safeguard.

They are the unstoppable force.

 **Lies**

It starts like this.

Daemon blinks and appears directly in front of Adelheid, a spade flashing in his right eye. Her beautiful red eyes roll back and then become overwhelmed with the same symbol. Her fans snap out, striking both Julie and Enma, and her Flame flares, ice cold.

She slips away from the Simon's shouts and demands and pleas and creates a Diamond Castle. Five hundred Adelheids fill the clearing, and anarchy twirls misty fingers in the air.

Daemon smiles, scythe in hand. Gritting his teeth, Tsuna throws himself at their enemy, Enma on his heels, while the others clear the way and hold Adelheid back. Mukuro and Chrome stay on the fringes, images hazy like a heat mirage, and the world shakes and trembles, reality such a fickle thing.

Tsuna goes airborne as befits a Sky, and Enma stays on the ground as befits an Earth, and Daemon laughs, chilling and dark. Everything spills out, every lie and death, all the blood that stains his being, and the truth, when it comes out at last, is just as painful as the lies.

 **Tricks**

Daemon is powerful, so very powerful. Mukuro and Chrome together can only disable half of his illusions, and for all their efforts, they are mostly fighting amongst themselves. Adelheid is held fast in his control. A smirk and Mist weapons are hanging in the air, a tilt of his head and suddenly, there are six of him.

A magician, Tsuna thinks, a deception, a hallucination.

They push through because they must push through, because everything is on the line, Vongola and Simon, friends and family, and their Will burns, higher and higher, as their Flame flares, brighter and brighter. Enma holds Daemon down with a Gravity Sphere and Tsuna fires his X-Burner.

When that doesn't work, their Oath Flame crashes and shrieks through layers and layers of Mist until it slams into Daemon himself.

The curtain falls, and this is how it ends.

(Or not. Not yet.)

 **Blame**

"Now what?" Hayato demands, arms crossed. Julie holds an unconscious Adelheid in his arms, the other Simon Guardians crowding around a bruised and exhausted Enma. Tsuna wavers on his feet, and Ryohei presses a hand to his back to steady him.

"What do you mean 'now what'?" Koyo snaps, fists clenched. "He killed Enma's family! He started this whole blood feud in the first place! After everything he's done, he deserves to die!"

"That's not your decision to make!" Hayato shuffles closer to Tsuna, glaring for all he's worth. "We all agreed that Noriko has the right to Judge him!"

"She's not here right now," Shitopi-chan points out, hand on her hip. "We can't wait forever."

"...we aren't going to," Tsuna says, voice soft. Reborn peers up at his student, face unreadable. Tsuna's eyes are still a bright, knowing orange. "We don't have to."

Daemon, lying broken and bleeding in the dead center of the crater in the ground that spans nearly half of the clearing, the rest destroyed by other means, chuckles, blood dripping down his chin. His smile is twisted, haunted. "It's about time."

Mukuro, who has been leaning against a tree, straightens up and narrows his eyes. Chrome twists her hands, eyes searching the glimmering fog that has sprung up around them, unnoticed in the commotion, anxiously.

Something lingers in the air, like the ozone that heralds a storm, like the stars that welcome the moon's ascent.

Takeshi appears first, sheathed sword flung over his shoulder, grin firmly in place, eyes cheerful and sharp. "Hey, guys!" he calls casually over their startled, disbelieving, jubilant cries. "Sorry, looks like I'm a bit late!"

"Yamamoto!" Kaoru gasps, delighted.

"Y-You stupid baseball idiot!" Hayato scowls, but there's no hiding the immense relief that flashed across his face. "Couldn't you have gotten here sooner!?"

Takeshi laughs, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand. "Maybe," he says, serious now, "but I was waiting."

"Waiting?" Ryohei asks.

The fog parts, and Noriko steps into the clearing, dissipating all of the shadows, gleaming so bright, it almost hurts to look at her.

 **Reconciliation**

The clearing goes silent.

Noriko's eyes glow eerily. Her hair billows around her face, weightless and swaying in a nonexistent breeze. She wears a long black funeral dress that brushes the grass as she drifts toward Daemon.

Awestruck, unsettled, mesmerized, one by one, they all step aside to create a clear path for her, this sprite, this ghost, this terrifying celestial being.

Tsuna watches, still and quiet and unmoving.


	56. Waning

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **Waning**

 _This is how a centuries-old feud is buried._

 **Regrets**

Enveloped in a silver light that dazzles the eye, that hurts and burns and scorches, Noriko's face is blank and unreadable, but as she approaches, Daemon's tired, cold eyes soften with nostalgia.

Mist swirls around the Arbiter, and a faint pink tint slides into her hair, her black dress turning white and shifting into Grecian robes. Subtly, her facial features are altered, her figure changes, and her eyes turn silver, pure silver.

Tsuna's eyes widen with recognition even before Daemon greets, "Cynthia."

And these two, these two exist in a bubble outside of space and time, where Tsuna and Reborn and Enma have not yet been born, where there exists a large mansion they helped to build and a vigilante organization beginning to spread its wings, where betrayal and hatred have not been given years and years to grow and bloom.

It's heartbreaking to watch.

 **Wraith**

She gazes at the man before her, beaten and bruised, defeated and defiant, and sighs. "Cynthia died a long time ago, Daemon." There is no echo of power in her voice now, but nor is this Noriko's voice, young and bright and wild.

Cynthia's voice is weary and sweet, wise and sad. The dissonance makes Tsuna wince.

Daemon laughs, mocking. "Don't deceive yourself. You'll always be Cynthia at heart, no matter your chosen appearance and name. The past cannot be changed." A pause, his words lined with something poignant and quiet. "Not even by you."

"If I had the power to change the past, I would have done so already." Cynthia shakes her head and peers down at her would-be killer. "Are you done, Daemon?"

"...the Vongola - "

" - will be fine." Her tone brooks no argument as her eyes flash dangerously. "And do not, for one second, think that a weak Vongola is in any way worse than a Vongola that continues to thrive on the blood and despair you feed it."

"Elena - "

" - is not here," Cynthia snaps, voice rising, soaring suddenly, and Daemon flinches. " _She isn't here._ You've distorted her memory into a ghost that needs to be pleased at all costs, but she isn't _here_ to tell you that this would not have made her happy. Daemon - "

"The Vongola must be strong, strong enough to do what needs to be done!" Daemon spits, but he's started to shake now, composure cracking like she's taking an ax to the ice. "Elena's _dead_ because Giotto was an incurable fool and the Vongola was weak, Cynthia! How could you - "

"No, how could _you_!? You're controlling people through fear, through money and power, and you think this is what she meant? You aren't protecting the weak, you're oppressing them, _you_ would have been our enemy - !" There is nothing objective about the Judge now.

Only fierce pain and helpless turmoil.

He isn't any better, face contorting into denial and anguish and maybe even a whisper of repentance. "You don't understand! You didn't even understand back then! She asked me with her last breath, she asked me to protect her dream, and _I know her_! I was her lover - "

"And I was her _sister_!" Cynthia cuts herself off forcefully, visibly struggling for control. Whens she speaks again, she doesn't sound angry and upset and grieving anymore. Just exhausted. Mourning. "It's time to stop, Daemon. Stop."

"What difference does it make?" he demands. "You're going to Judge me anyway."

"Yes. But when the times comes, I want to be able to look Elena in the eye." Cynthia chooses to believe that there will be an end to this, that one day she will be reunited with her sister of heart, that there is peace waiting at the end of the tunnel.

That she will not be stuck in this cycle of past and present and future forevermore.

Cynthia smiles, disconsolate, and shakes her head slightly. "She's waiting for you, you know," she whispers.

Daemon blanches, looking positively devastated for a moment that stretches out to eternity before closing his eyes, face smoothing out to something alien and eerie and vulnerable.

"Do you think it's enough? Is Elena satisfied?"

Her eyes burn, and she laughs, helplessly, humorlessly. " _You_ were always enough. She was satisfied with loving you, just that."

Daemon struggles to his feet, and the smile that stretches across his lips is that of a man liberated, his self-imposed rusty shackles pleaded away to leave a hollowed out husk.

And he laughs, tender and heartsick. Hesitantly compliant.

"Alright," Daemon says and holds out his hand. A familiar pocketwatch slips free from his fingers to dangle gently, their shared treasure. "Alright."

Tsuna inhales sharply, eyes widening.

"Do with me what you will, Cynthia."

 **Purgatory**

For his crimes, Daemon deserves nothing less than wandering the Earth as a sprite until the apocalypse arrives, never to see Elena again, devoid of hope and joy and reprieve.

That's what Noriko should sentence him to. That's what Cynthia would do were it anyone else.

She can't do it. Kami-sama help her, she _can't_.

It starts with Giotto, because it always does. The Sky Ring on Tsuna's hand glows a soft orange. The Storm and Rain follow because that's what they do, and one by one, each of the Vongola Rings bar the Mist Ring light up the fog in a dreamy array of color.

 _Please -_

"What a time for a reunion," Daemon breathes. "Just have to get the last word in, eh, Giotto?"

No, no, _no, not like this -_

Cynthia closes her eyes and lets the Eclipse take her.

"Daemon Spade." The Arbiter's voice is little more than a whisper in the wind, the sharpest icicle in a wasteland, a ghost of pasts long gone. "It's time for your Judgment."


	57. History

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

* * *

 **History**

 _This is how they grieve._

 **Departure**

It happens startling fast. After everything, it almost feels like an anti-climax, but no, Tsuna doesn't doubt that this is anything but for Daemon. For Noriko.

Or it is Cynthia?

His Intuition whispers that it's both.

The Arbiter holds out her arms wordlessly, and the First Mist begins to dissolve, fading away like an illusion, like an apparition, like a bad - a good? - dream.

Daemon falls forward into her embrace and whispers something in her ear. It's a beautiful morning, and even the fog that continues to envelop them in a bubble of mirage and fantasia cannot stop the warm rays of sunlight from reaching in.

It's a quiet moment, a silent, endless one, and Tsuna sees Nori's eyes go wide. Sees her mouth press together in a thin white line, sees the faintest glimmer of tears before she blinks them out of existence.

Then Daemon Spade is gone forever and the Vindice arrive.

 **Fragility**

People have told Cynthia over and over that the Arbiter in the gripe of an Eclipse is a wonder to be seen, a holy vision, an ethereal being descended from Heaven or Hell or perhaps both.

Sometimes, when she's floating on the high of absolute certainty and merciless power, Noriko can empathize completely. She's there, but she's not, so emotionally detached that there's really no difference.

How ironic it is, that after the most important Judgment of her life, she's feeling the most human she's ever felt in both lifetimes.

 _I can't do this_ , she thinks, Cynthia and Noriko in complete agreement for once, Daemon's last words still ringing in their ears.

But the Vindice.

The Vindice don't tolerate weakness, don't accept shortcomings, will not endure vulnerability, and so she drops into the core of her power, toxic liquid mercury, where she curls up into a ball and wishes the outside world would go away.

When the Judge turns to face the Bogeymen of the Mafia, there is nothing but a ruthless, impassive Will, inescapable as the rippling reflection in the ocean, glacial and vicious as a winter storm.

 **Night**

The Vindice are imposing and dark and powerful as they are meant to be, bringing with them creeping tendrils of darkness, smothering and unforgiving, but in a battle between the Night and the Moon, there is no contest as to which is greater.

"Leave." They may be creatures of the same make, but there's no lost love between them, and there likely never will be.

"Your judgment is faulty," they tell her. "You are emotionally compromised. Daemon Spade deserved a far worse fate than death."

 _But he'll be Elena's again_ , Cynthia whispers.

The Arbiter doesn't care for the Vindice's intimidation nor Cynthia's sentimental pleas. "Under the Gestione Accord, he was mine to Judge. You have no jurisdiction here."

Their chains rattle ominously, but she is in no state to feel fear. "Leave."

"The Vindice will not abide a faulty Judge." And there, there's a trace of killing intent, suffocating and numbing. The children gathered around her bristle, but she is unaffected.

The Arbiter takes one step forward, armed with the inevitability of her celestial crown and the patient certainty of the earth and sun. Whatever mortals may do, beyond war and disaster and pain, she just _is._

And with her, she brings light, light without flame or heat, silver and cold enough to freeze even the shadows. "You are in my domain," she says, and behind her words is the reminder that the Vindice were human, too. "What crimes have you committed?"

She can find out, if they let her. She can uncover all their secrets, if they stay. She can doom and destroy them, if they dare.

" _Leave_ ," demands the Arbiter for the third time, and the Vindice disappear.

 **Hush**

After the penumbra have left, all is silent and still for an eternity. In the cosmic balance of the world, a single grain of sand falls in an hourglass.

The First Mist is gone. The First Moon stands in the clearing where he once stood, surrounded by the Tenth Generation of the Vongola and Simon.

At last, the fog parts, and with the arrival of the sunshine, the moonlight glow fades from Noriko, as does the Mist, held silently in place by the unnoticed glow of the Vongola Mist Ring on Chrome's finger.

White dress fading away and the years falling from her face, her irises fade to a shade of blue-grey lighter than the color Kiku initially saw, all those years ago, and she shivers.

" _Cynthia_ ," Giotto says, a spectre hovering over Tsuna's shoulder, regret and sadness and worry woven into a tapestry of anguish.

Noriko closes her eyes and crumbles, a puppet with all her strings cut.

 **Recovery**

Shamal declares her fine, if utterly exhausted and likely to sleep for the next week.

Tsuna sits at her bedside and doesn't know what to think. He's tired, too, so tired, but he can't sleep, and his thoughts won't stop running and screeching towards a finish line he hates, but -

"Giotto-san?" he whispers. The First Generation had all disappeared after Nori collapsed, or, well, the Rings had stopped glowing, but he needs answers, and he's not sure if he can wait for Nori to wake up.

His Sky Ring remains dormant.

At his groan, Gokudera pokes his head in, face drawn and concerned. "Juudaime? Are you okay?"

Tsuna opens his mouth to say yes, but Gokudera narrow his eyes, and the words die in his throat. "I don't know," he says at last when the silence begins to drag on too long.

Gokudera doesn't say anything but drags up a chair and lets his head rest on Tsuna's shoulder in unspoken support.

Nori sleeps.


	58. Breakdown

**OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

 **Warning: suicidal thoughts.**

* * *

 **Breakdown**

 _This is how things catch up to them._

 **Disappearance**

"Juudaime! Juudaime!"

In Tsuna's experience, the front door opening so hard it slams into the wall and a voice shouting his name at six in the morning never means good news.

"Gokudera-kun?" Tsuna clambers down the stairs, frowning, already rubbing the sleep out of his eyes and pulling on his sweater. "What's wrong?"

Hayato is breathless and sweating, hands braced on his knees. "Reiki - "

Tsuna's blood runs cold. He runs down the rest of the stairs, grabbing Hayato's shoulders urgently. "Nori-chan? What happened to Nori-chan?"

"Reiki - she's not in her hospital room." Hayato looks up, gasping and pale. "She's gone."

 **Inquiry**

By six-thirty, Tsuna has woken up all of his friends, including the Simon, and they're combing through Namimori, looking for her. Tsuna doesn't disturb Nori's parents, because he knows she wouldn't have gone to them, but he also doesn't know _where she is_.

They've been to their rooftop, the hill where they watched fireworks, and the sakura trees. She isn't at Takeshi's, isn't with Hibari, and Tsuna is running out of ideas on where to look.

It doesn't help that it's started raining.

Blowing out a breath and shoving his wet hair out of his hair, Tsuna glances up at the gray sky like it holds the answers he needs. Where _is_ Nori? She can't - after such a powerful Judgement, she must be exhausted, and that's not even considering whatever it was that happened with the Vendice.

Normally, she wouldn't even be awake yet. Before, she always slept for days and days until Tsuna was worried she wouldn't wake up. Now, it's been a mere two days, and she's left her hospital room as pristine as if she was never there in the first place. They can find no trace of her.

It's as if she's a ghost, having twisted herself into thin air and smoke along with Daemon Spade.

* * *

 **Altitude**

There's but one water tower in Namimori. She dangles her bare feet off of the ledge and doesn't flinch from the ground below.

The rooftops all look so small from up here.

The entity with too many names and not enough people to call her by them shivers. It's cold up here. She's wearing nothing but a soaked hospital gown; there are cuts on her feet and she can't remember how they got there.

It doesn't matter. What does it matter? Nothing matters, really.

She...shouldn't be here. She should be a skeleton resting in the ground, dust on the wind, a phantom forgotten by history. What reason does she have for existing? Why was she reincarnated in the first place?

Noriko wants to sleep. Cynthia wants to _rest_.

The Arbiter may be eternal and unchanging, but its host isn't. She's lived through a lifetime and a facsimile of a second one. If she was brought back for Daemon, to make right her past mistakes, then she's done so. What keeps her here?

She could fall. It would be so very easy. The ground is faraway and docile beneath her dangling feet. Rain drips into her eyes. She blinks it away, lovesick and homesick.

If she closes her eyes, falling is almost the same thing as flying, isn't it?

 **Angel**

Without a sound, without a warning, glorious wings of flame cut through the rain so a cursed god can land a few meters away from her.

"What's this?" Far from concerned or alarmed, Byakuran of the Millefiore Famiglia sounds nothing more than amused and curious as his wings dissipate in flickers of blinding white. "Are you going to die again, Nori-chan?"

"Don't call me that," she says. Even to her own ears, her voice is bland and soft, the last mournful croon of a fading spirit.

"Oh? Would you prefer Cynthia-chan? But you're not really her anymore. And I guess you're not Nori-chan either." Byakuran pauses. From the corner of her eye, she watches him cock his head with a mocking smile. "I wonder if any of your friends would still recognize you?"

She doesn't respond. Whether that's because she sees no reason to interact with a mad Sky or because she has no answer is left up in the air.

"Come on!" Byakuran whines when the silence drags on, starting to pout. It's a disturbingly childish look on a man who almost ruled a universe, but she remains coolly unperturbed, untouched by everything in this world. "I saved your life, you know. Before you undo all of my hard work, you may as well talk to me."

"I'm not obligated to do anything."

Something dark casts its shadow on his face, something familiar. "Not even give an apology for condemning me to an eternity as a specter, unable to move forward but invisible to everyone around me?"

"It was what you deserved," the Arbiter replies. Past the rain, past the wind, small figures approach the base of the tower. "The Judgment does not lie. And the fate of another you does not impact the you of today. Your complaints are groundless."

Byakuran just looks at her for a few long moments. "You can't die, old girl," he says with an eerie gentleness that pulls at her attention. She turns to blink slowly at him. "You can't die."

"Why not?" she asks and it's almost curious. Almost.

"You're meant for more than this." Byakuran tilts his face up towards the rain, water dripping from his clothes. "You have a bigger role to play."

"I don't care."

"Ah." He grins. "But Tsunayoshi-kun does, doesn't he? And look, there he is!"


End file.
